Wings of a Phoenix
by WishUponAStar1015
Summary: The Autobots are in for a surprise when they find the last Phoenix of Cybertron, Nexia. As they grow closer more Autobots land on Earth and Nexia has grown attached to a certain Search and Rescue Hummer. Reviews are appreciated! Ratchet/Nexia
1. Prologue

**I thought that I should put in a proper disclaimer. **

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any Transformers used in this fanfiction. This is my adaptation and my own version of what would happen after the first movie. I am well aware that this could never happen but I do own the plotline and the following characters: Nexia, Sarutobi, Asuma, and Kenai. If you don't know any of the characters then read the story ^_^**

**This is, indeed, revised so it is slightly different. I added some things and took out some things. I changed some words and so forth as I saw fit. **

**-Kitsune**

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**Prologue**

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The crack of thunder was heard as everyone scuttled to the safety of their warm homes, tightly closing the blinds to shut out the bright flashes of lightning that streaked across the sky. They were all normal human beings, that is all for one; there was one lone figure running in the rain - a seventeen year old girl who just happened to be caught in the ferocious downpour. She would have been considered normal, just like any other normal human being, except for the fact that she had a few unusual details that normal people lacked.

The young girl's eyes shone with an abnormal silver glamour and she had fairly large crimson wings protruding from her back. They were massive, easily towering above her slim frame. The girl ran as fast as her wobbly legs would take her. She was a blur to the human eye, almost skimming across the surface of the Earth; she was heading in the opposite direction of the houses, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

She pressed on, hoping to reach the forest surrounding Tranquility Lake as her pursuers would dare not follow her that far. Bruises and fresh cuts littered across her lithe body, a dark purple, blue, green, and black upon her pale, almost ghost like skin. The cuts stung from the sweat trailing down her body from the long run, creating a burning sensation that caused her stomach to churn. She didn't dare to stop, fearing that she would, indeed, become sick on the forest floor.

One great wing of hers was tightly pressed against her back as she ran through the forest. The other was not as fortunate as it stuck out at an odd angle, sending jolts of pain through her shoulder blade as she moved. She knew that it was at least fractured near the junction of her scapula and the base of her wing. She cursed silently as it was the most sensitive part of her wing.

Blood trailed behind her in small puddles as she stumbled on toward the lake, wiping some sweat from her forehead; she was trying to keep it from her eyes so it wouldn't impede in her vision. She didn't see the hidden root as her foot caught on it, causing her to go flying to the ground. She and gasped in pain as her broken wing struck a large rock, a sickening crack filling the air once more. She forced herself not to cry her crystalline tears but she couldn't help but to cry out in pain as it struck the ground.

She was running from an evil and deadly force and the only thing racing through her mind was to escape from her pursuers - from Sector Seven, an organization that had been experimenting on her for the longest time. At first they had been kind to her but they soon changed, showing their true intentions soon enough. She had no idea why that particular organization called her a BE, whatever that meant, but she managed to escape from her torture at the last second.

Her fire-blessed chin length hair stuck to her chin from the torrents of rain from the ongoing storm, beating down upon her already wet and beaten form. Her beautiful and unique natural black highlights looked like streaks of blackened mud but she didn't care. She never actually cared about her physical appearance. The wounded girl stumbled on, the wind making it difficult to see where she was going but she knew, however, that if she was caught she would be experimented on again.

She failed to notice the steep hill in front of her before she lost her footing and fell once again, causing more than one new gash to be created on her body. On the way down the rocky slope she tried to grab onto the branch of a tree but it cracked, crushing into her side as she fell. Her already broken wing snapped again in a different place, pain and swelling intense, and her right arm caught against the rocks, twisting as smaller boulders fell as well. Her left ankle twisted painfully while a few twigs slashed against her fair skin, blood spurting free from the horrific and gruesome wounds.

Tears of inescapable pain escaped her tightly clenched eyes as she whimpered quietly, not daring to make any more sounds lest her pursuers discover her whereabouts. Lights from a few flashlights flew above her, however, they never pointed directly at her. She was grateful for that small bit of heavenly sent protection but soon grimaced, looking around for any familiar sight.

She could faintly see the body of water that served as Tranquility Lake before she started to black out from both pain and fatigue, curling into a tiny ball with her good arm around her more serious wound. The last thing that ran through her mind was that she needed to contact the Autobots, to be in the safe arms her grandfather had told stories about. Finally, she slumped to the ground, pelted by the stinging rain as blackness completely took her.


	2. Once Was Lost but Now is Found

**Ok, I revised this chapter! I spaced out some of the paragraphs and changed some of the words. ^_^**

**Thanks to:**

**Elita One** - Thanks! I'll update when I actually get the time to type the chapters up.

**FMAandWolf'sRain** - Like I said: I fixed the squares and thanks for reviewing!

**The Copper Arabian** - I think it is spelled 'prologue' and thanks! I like phoenixes too.

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**Chapter 1 **

**Once Was Lost but Now is Found **

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The sun was shining down peacefully on an off white house, which was located on a simple suburban street. Things were quiet around the outside of the house and in neighborhood but inside the house was a different story.

An older teenage boy named Sam Witwicky ran frantically around said house, desperately trying to locate his missing flashlight. What a time to lose such an important item! The small black and silver object was nowhere to be found and he swore that he had just seen it. His curly dark brown hair was disheveled and his eyes were darting back and forth in dismay. Sam continued looking for the object of his hysteria but tears of frustration swelled in his eyes when he couldn't find it.

Everywhere the disgruntled teenager looked was a mess - items were strewn everywhere in his haste to find the accursed object. The teenage boy barely even had time to dress himself properly. His plain white tee was crinkled in several places, not to mention torn along the seam underneath one of his arms, and he had a few stains on his old black jeans. He grabbed his house keys from his wooden dresser as he gave up searching for the flashlight in his room. Maybe it was downstairs.

His graying sneakers were also nowhere to be found...oh wait...he just tripped over them.

"MOM!" he screeched to his mother, who was downstairs, as he scanned the demolished room one last time. His once finely made up bed was literally destroyed; his mattress was upturned on the floor and the dark blue comforter was hanging from the fish tank upon his other desk. One of his collections of comic books was littered across the path to the hallway and his closet was a complete mess!

The shirts were halfheartedly hanging from their hangers and his drawers were halfway out of their cubbies. Sam was lucky that he hadn't banged anything against them yet or else he would have one painful bruise. The teenager ran a hand nervously through his hair yet again as he thought about what his girlfriend, the beautiful Mikaela, would do to him if he was late. The disheveled boy winced with the picture in his head and he started up his searching again but twice has hard. As he was finished with his room he made his way to the top of the stairs, pausing by the hallway closet on his way.

"Where is my flashlight?!" he screeched again, debating about whether he should ram his head into the wall. He might just get an idea for where he left the offending object. The stressed boy thought about it for a few minutes, however, he might loose some of his precious brain cells. He was about to call down to his mother again but he refrained, instead listening for her reply.

He finally heard a muffled reply from the kitchen so he tore down the stairs, almost tripping over his own feet in the process. He entered the kitchen to see his mother, Judy, holding out a camping pack filled with food, drink, and, of course, his missing flashlight. So his mother did have the flashlight after all! He sighed in relief, the vision of an angry girlfriend dissipating from his head as he turned to his Chihuahua, Mojo.

"Mom! Please!" Sam whined, gesturing to the dog. "You're going to make him think he's a girl! Just look at what he's wearing…please." he exclaimed, pulling at his already frizzed hair. He begged his mother to take the clothing from the dog, pointing at the small figure resting on a little doggie bed.

The dog in question was wearing a small pink sweater with fuzzy letters that read 'Mojo'. His blue collar, which clashed horribly with the sweater, had small rhinestones glued to it, sparkling in the sunlight. The frazzled boy sighed as he grabbed the bag from his mother's hands and rushed out the screen door. He was to meet the others at Tranquility Lake for a small camping amongst old friends.

The friends coming were the beautiful Mikaela, who would never miss a party, and Captain Will Lennox and his family, the gentle Sarah and the adorable Annabelle. Sam practically dove into the driver side of his yellow Camero, an Autonomous Robotic Organism who went by the name of Bumblebee. Their tires were screeching as they pulled out of the driveway, showing Bee's excitement as they drove away. Sam sighed in relief as Bumblebee's engine shuddered in amusement.

"Your creators provide much entertainment when one is bored. Your maternal parental unit is most amusing." an intelligent robotic voice commented making Sam scowl slightly. It had been a while since Bee had last spoken so his voice was still slightly hoarse.

"Yeah, but you don't have to live with them every single day." Sam replied, flattening out his hair and reached over to his pack. He fished around and pulled out a bag of munchies.

"Those are supposed to be for the campsite, Sam. You don't want to spoil your appetite." Bee reminded him as he slid the driver's seatbelt around Sam's waist. The teenager playfully glared at the steering wheel, shoving more of the chips into his mouth.

"Hey. I'm a growing boy. I need food." he said while chewing the food at the same time. He spraying little bits while he talked and was lucky that he didn't actually choke on the little bits still in his mouth. Sam rolled his eyes as Bee tightened the seatbelt in jest and playfully smacked the armrest in retaliation. Bee laughed at his friend's antics and continued to drive along the road. Soon enough they pulled up beside Tranquility Lake; the others were already there.

Besides Bumblebee there were several other Autobots present. Included in the group was Optimus Prime, the Autobot's Commanding Officer, who posed as a giant blue semi with a red flamed decal. Sam jumped out of Bee, allowing him the luxury of transforming into his bipedal robot mode. Bee was one of the shorter Autobots, at least a good ten feet shorter than his leader, with a yellow paint job and black racing stripes. He sported a rather interesting face plate with the brightest blue optics you have ever seen. Although he recovered his voice he still has the habit of crooning when trying to bring comfort.

The gorgeous Mikaela hugged her boyfriend as he drew near, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as he slid one of his own arms around her waist. He used this time to relish the thought of such a beauty as his girlfriend, closing his eyes and praising whatever god that had helped him. He looked her up and down, drinking in the light reflecting off her tanned skin. She was wearing a light blue belly shirt with a jean mini skirt. She was also wearing some tan sandals that strapped up her legs - an almost Romanesque style. Her long and curly black hair was tied up in a bun with some strands framing her round face.

"Come on, Sam. The Autobots are clearing the campsite since the storm knocked down some trees. It was a pretty bad one." she said, pulling him to where the others were gathered.

The first one they came across was Hound. He was a skinny and lanky forest green Autobot, who also served as a scout alongside Bumblebee, and was overseeing Ironhide's project in moving trees. Hound was a gentle, nature loving mech and he scolded Ironhide whenever he dropped or harmed one of the trees.

The large mech who was with him, on the other hand, was the weapons specialist; he was tall and had a huge, almost bulking, black frame. He had two rather large cannons on either of his wrists and doubtlessly had more stored away in subspace.

Next was Wheeljack, another tall mech who was the resident scientist and inventor. He was busy pitching some tents along with Ratchet, the Commanding Medical Officer. Wheeljack's mouth was covered by a mask but you could tell when he talked because the twin fins on either side of his face flashed with each word. He also had a tendency to make any of his experiments explode rather often; it was almost like a daily thing.

Ratchet was a very tall mech, although he was still at least a head shorter than Optimus, with broad shoulders and was a green-yellow in color. He was taller than Bumblebee and around the same height as Ironhide. Don't let his demeanor intimidate you, though, he's a big softie at spark.

Mikaela then led Sam to Optimus' spot near two already set tents. One was for the Lennox family while the other was for the two teenagers. Optimus was the first one to spot the two young humans since the others were busy completing their assigned tasks. He kneeled down the their height and smiled at the two, bright blue optics twinkling happily.

"Greetings Sam and Mikaela. We are almost finished here so it will not be long before you can relax." he said in a deep voice that reverberated throughout the campsite. Will and Sarah waved to the two teenagers before setting back to cooking and taking care of little Annabelle.

"Hey, Optimus? Can we go for a hike?" Mikaela asked, sending a sly look toward Sam who immediately caught on to the idea. Ratchet turned to look at the humans, running several medical scans on them before he nodded his head in approval.

"Your core body temperatures are normal and your fatigue levels are low. It is safe for you to go into the forest." he said, turning back to his work with Wheeljack. Mikaela smiled as she grabbed her boyfriend's hand, turning to go down the nearest path they could find. Soon they found one, hidden from normal sight in the underbrush, that led deep into the forest.

Mikaela ventured into the forest first, mainly because Sam was being a chicken and she was excited, and held the brush aside for her spazztastic boyfriend. Her naturally tanned skin shone in the setting sunlight as she started too climb over a pile of rocks. She whistled since she was impressed with the height; she winced, not wanting to know what would happen if she were to fall over the edge and into the ravine far below.

"I never knew that this path was here before. The brush must have covered it up." Mikaela commented, picking her way through the foliage surrounding the worn trail. Sam followed like a little lost puppy, pushing his now damp and matted hair from his forehead. He trailed behind a bit, wheezing, until he heard the muffled gasp of his girlfriend.

Panic flared up within Sam's chest; his heart pounded furiously and was fueled by fear. The teenager ignored his fatigue as he crashed through the underbrush, finding Mikaela hanging onto the lower branch of a tree. She smiled back at him and motioned to the scene below, as they were standing at the top of a rather tall, and steep, cliff. The sun was almost set and it melded into various shades of red, violet, and orange.

"Sam...its so beautiful." she sighed happily as he wrapped his arms around her midsection. She leaned back into his toned yet not muscular chest and sighed. She played with the leaves on the tree a bit before turning and leaning in for a kiss. They continued kissing for a while before stopping, sitting on the edge of the cliff, and hanging their legs over the edge.

Sam was about to make a comment but was interrupted by a somewhat faint noise. He stopped and listened for the noise again, jumping slightly when they heard the noise again, only louder. They looked around quizzically before Mikaela looked over the edge of the cliff. Sam followed her example and looked over the edge as well, only not leaning over as far in fear of falling over the edge. They squinted through the now impending darkness before they heard a faint voice calling for help. The noise echoed but seemed to be coming from the very bottom of the ravine.

"Oh my gosh, Sam! Someone fell over the edge! They're probably injured from the fall…" Mikaela gasped in horror, tugging on his shirt urgently and pointing down into the ravine.

"Stay here. I-I mean...I'll get Ratchet. Yeah! I'll get Ratchet! He'll be able to help them." he stammered as he dashed back down the path, waving his arms around and screaming. When he finally pushed through the last of the foliage he had acquired several scratches on his face; there were also several twigs sticking out of his, once again, disheveled hair.

"Ratchet!" Sam screeched as he emerged from the forest. He almost tripped when he came to the open campsite, coming to a full stop in front of Sarah. She looked at him, concerned etched onto her face.

"Sam? Is everything alright?" she asked, pushing a couple of blonde strands of hair behind her ear. Her husband looked up from his work; he was feeding Annabelle a snack of mashed carrots.

"Maybe you should lie down. Where's Mikaela?" she asked placing a hand on Sam's forehead, checking for a sign of illness. The action gained enough attention from her husband that he tuned into their conversation, looking at Sam with an eyebrow raised. He knew that Sam and Mikaela were almost always stuck together like glue and that when they were separated was an odd sight.

"Never mind that! Where's Ratchet?! I need to talk to him." he panted, running a hand through his hair, and pulling out the twigs. He looked around, frantically searching for the Autobot Chief Medical Officer. Finally, he spotted him talking with Wheeljack, who was trying to persuade him to try out his new cloaking invention. Ratchet, who was adamantly refusing, stopped in mid sentence, turning instead to Sam. He momentarily froze at his ragged appearance but soon regained his senses as he strode over, picking the teenager up and running a medical scan on his body.

"Both your heart rate and your anxiety level have increased to dangerous levels. Where is young Mikaela? Wasn't she with you when you went traipsing off into the forest?" the yellow-green search and rescue vehicle asked, searching for the tan skinned female. Wheeljack was watching the two intently, concerned for the wellbeing of the young human female.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you people...ah...mechs! In the forest! Something needs help! Mikaela is staying with the inured person!" Sam rambled on. By this time the other humans and Autobots had gathered around the babbling teenager to see what the problem was. He rambled on, unaware of the annoyed glances of the others.

"Sam!!" Ironhide bellowed, catching the young teen off guard. Sam blinked for a few minutes, shaking his head. He cowered somewhat from the harsh look the great black mech was giving him, deciding that he should try to make more sense.

"Ratchet! Mikaela and I were watching the sun set on a cliff when we heard a weird noise." he explained, almost completely out of breath from his incessant rambling. Ratchet nodded for him to continue as the other Autobots leaned in closer to hear what had the teenager so upset.

"We looked around to see what the noise was but we couldn't spot anything. Then Mikaela looked over the edge and gasped. I wanted to see what it was, too, so of course I looked over the edge as well." Sam paused for a few moments, trying to regain his breath. Optimus had a thoughtful look on his face as Sam continued, the panicky edge back in his voice.

"We saw the outline of a body! Or…well she saw the outline of a body… which means that someone must have fallen over the cliff's edge during the storm!" the brown haired teen shouted. Ratchet's facial plates completely changed at once from annoyed to concerned as he turned to his leader.

"What are your orders, Sir?" the Chief Medical Officer asked, itching to save the life Sam mentioned. He couldn't help it for it was in his nature as a medic. Optimus' bright blue optics hardened into a determined gleam, the sharp color contrasting with the darkness of the night. He looked around at all the Autobots present: Wheeljack, Bumblebee, Hound, Ratchet, Ironhide, and himself.

"Wheeljack, stay behind and prepare an emergency first aid center with Sarah and Will. Hound will help us navigate through the forest with his superior tracking systems and Sam will lead us to the cliff where Mikaela is waiting." he stated with authority, standing to his full height.

"Our robot forms are too bulky to make it through the thick foliage so we will travel in our holoforms. Ironhide, Bumblebee, and I will clear away any rocks down and at the cliff's bottom. Ratchet will use his medical knowledge to rescue the human when we get to the cliff. Understood?" Optimus asked his friends. A chorus of nods and shouts of 'yes sir!' were heard around the circle as he nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright then. Autobots, MOVE OUT!" he commanded, transforming and activating his holoform: a man who looked to be in his mid thirties with short brown hair, somewhat graying at the roots, and the shocking blue eyes of an Autobot soldier. His holoform was wearing a plain white polo shirt and comfortable jeans, complete with black shoes and a red flamed leather jacket. His face sported multiple worry lines as he turned to his companions.

Bumblebee, being the youngling that he was, had straw colored hair, pushed slightly to the side and spiked with gel. A gentle smile adorned his face which contrasted with his Metallica tee and Kakhi shorts. Sam had introduced him to the human band Metallica and he became quite interested in some of their songs. He wore ninja sandals and black sweatbands with red heartagrams on them. He was quite the little skater boy if you looked deep enough.

Next was Ironhide who had military cropped black hair and his electric blue eyes seemed to glow as he looked around, getting used to the feel of his holoform once again. It had been some time since he used it last. He wore a dark green muscle shirt, just to show off his bulging muscles, and green camouflage cargo pants tucked into black military combat boots. He had several nasty scars along his broad shoulders and muscled arms, traveling up his back and ending on his neck.

Ratchet's holoform appeared and stepped past Optimus with an impatient look on his weary face. He left his tanned medical coat behind but still had on his gray polo and Kakhi dress pants. His black loafers matched the small framed glasses that sat upon his nose while pale yellow hair hung into his eyes. It was slightly spiked, like Bee's, but hung past his chin. His bangs, however, had small tints of green, matching the paint of his vehicle form.

Hound's holoform rushed after him, his green jacked discarded with Ratchet's coat. He also wore a green muscle shirt but wore brown cargo pants with multiple pockets. They were tucked into a pair of cowboy boots with steel toes, matching his short cut, gelled brown hair.

"Hurry!" Ratchet all but demanded from the other Autobots. He grabbed Sam's arm gently but hastily as they made their way back to Mikaela, who was almost in tears.

"I found out that the voice belonged to a girl...but she might be delusional." Mikaela told Ratchet, nervously fiddling with the bottom of her midriff top. Ratchet immediately rushed over the cliff face, his eyes searching for any type of outline that Sam described. He grunted in annoyance, peering through the inky blackness of the night but couldn't make out any figures.

He activated his primary sensors, the only sensors that would work this far away from his original body, and scanned the surrounding area. What his sensors showed startled the old medic as he ran a hand through his hair, an act he picked up from Sam and Mikaela and often used it when he was bewildered.

"Optimus... This is something I have never encountered before." he started, gaining the attention of the other Autobots plus Sam and Mikaela. Once he was sure that he had the others' attention he continued.

"I scanned the surrounding area to tell me where exactly the human female was but I don't think that she's completely human. Something on her body is in a shape that humans do not have on theirs." he concluded. The others stared at him for a second before Mikaela got an interesting look on her face. She looked back and forth between the Autobots and the cliff before promptly bursting into tears. This wasn't normal so the group knew that something beyond the ordinary was about to happen.

"That explains everything! I thought she was just delusional but she's not! She's afraid of humans. When I called out to her she begged me to go away and let her suffer alone in peace! She must have been treated horribly by humans at some point in her life." she exclaimed, wiping furiously at her now bloodshot eyes. Optimus stared at her hard before switching his gaze to Ratchet.

"I will not let any kind of living being, whether they be human, Autobot, or other suffer. Ironhide, Hound, clear a way down. Bumblebee, stay here and let us know if anything changes back at camp. Ratchet…prepare for any retaliation. We may look like humans, the one thing that the girl fears, but we are not going to let her die!" Optimus said, eyes set with determination only a born leader could possess.

Everyone nodded their consent as Ironhide started moving various boulders out of the way with ease. Even in his holoform he still retained the strength of his bipedal robot mode. Soon they made it half way down the steep slope before Ratchet heard a fit of violent coughing. He paused, searching for the direction the coughing was coming from. He winced, it was a wet kind of cough, the kind of cough that meant some sort of internal bleeding.

"Hurry up!" Ratchet hissed, impatience clearly evident on the medic's face. Hound joined Ironhide in clearing away the rubble and Optimus joined soon after. Ratchet had pulled out his flashlight from the his portable med-kit and was looking around for the source of the violent coughing; he was now too far to use any of his scanners.

"Hello? We've come to help you!! Can you tell us where you are?" Ratchet yelled, scanning the area again. He blanched, the vitals of the girl was getting dangerously low and if he didn't get her back to the camp she wouldn't make it through the night. The medic had to resort to using his internal scanners, using his energy to send sonar-like waves in a concentrated area.

He was about to press on but he heard a faint moan, not too far from where he was. He whipped around, shouting to the others, and started climbing along the rocks. Soon he finally came to the source of the whimpering, buried beneath more of the rubble and a fallen tree.

Optimus approached the tree cautiously, taking the flashlight from Ratchet's slightly quivering hands. The Autobot Commander shone the light on the tree, exposing the massive amount of blood on the ground that stained it a deep red color.

"No...go away..." a melodiously sweet voice pleaded. The sound of such a sweet voice in so much pain nearly broke the two mechs' sparks. Ratchet stepped forward, motioning to Ironhide and Hound to move the fallen tree to the side. They did so, revealing a sight that none of them were expecting. The body of a young girl was lying, half crushed by the debris around her.

"No more torture...go away...wretched humans..." she managed to gasp as Ratchet and the others slowly inched toward her. It would have been assumed that she was delirious but the heated gaze in her eyes told he seasoned medic otherwise. Her left arm was clutching a gash on her stomach, much of the blood gushing out of the wound. Her right one was caught under a quite large branch.

Both legs were bruised badly while more blood dripped from a gash on her forehead. When she saw Ratchet she shied away, managing to free her arm but something seemed to have caught on the back of her shirt. She stopped struggling and, much to the Autobots' distress, collapsed on her injured side. Hound was facing the girl's back as he noticed something peculiar about her shirt. He inched forward to gain a better view and what he saw was clearly outstanding.

"Optimus...there's something you should see." Hound stated in a kind of shocked stupor, gaining the attention of the Autobots and the girl.

"I think I know why she's not human." he state quite plainly, pointing to the two fairly large, and obviously injured, crimson wings upon her back. The girl scooted back as much as she could in her pained state as the others processed the information.

"Please don't hurt me." she whimpered, bringing up her uninjured arm to protect her face. Ratchet was stunned, eyes widening in shock as his face softened. He leaned forward, hugging the girl softly.

"Never. I would never dream of harming you or another innocent living soul." he whispered as the girl opened her eyes, letting them see her silver irises. She smiled slightly but the smile was gone as quickly as it came as another coughing fit shook her frail frame. Blood stained her lips as she brought a hand to her mouth, trying to choke back a quiet sob. Her silver eyes met Ratchet's blue ones again as she tried to smile, closing her eyes for a moment.

"You're Autobots aren't you?" she stated plainly, startling them even more. Her eyes started to close again as yet another violent coughing fit racked through the silence of the night.

"I can see it in your eyes...and…you have a certain presence around you. It makes me feel…safe." she whispered as she slumped into Ratchet's arms.


	3. The Phoenix Arises With the Truth

**Authors Note: Hey…its been like a few months since I've finished the story and I'm going to start another Transformers story when I'm finished revising this one. =D**

**Thanks for all your reviews!**

**This chapter has been revised!!**

**-Kitsune**

**Thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Thanks! I thought the wings would be a nice touch since she's a Cybertronian Phoenix.**

**RavenDiesel1 - like I said in the note I'll probably be able to update after my exams.**

**FMAandWolf'sRain - Thanks! I appreciate the review**

**Saxidani - I'm glad that so many people like to read my story. Thanks for the review!**

**Razorgaze - Yeah, those would hurt! I think the worst I've gotten was a gash on my ankle!**

**ShadowDemon-Gengar - I'll try to separate the clumps better but I don't think my story is a Mary-Sue. Ratchet is a medic and he's trying to save a girl's life. That's what medics do: save people's lives. And the "Never" that responded to the girl's whimper was like the doctors code of "I vow never to harm a human" (or Cybertronian in Ratchet's case (except for throwing things and threatening them))**

**Elita One - Well...I'd tell you how she knew but it's explained in this chapter. Thanks for the review!**

**Gaara's Pyro RACOON - Thanks for the review! I'll try to make longer chapters in the future.**

**Todel - Thank you!**

**ninja-pirate-alchemist - Thanks for the review! I'm glad you think I'm a good author!**

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**Chapter 2 **

**The Phoenix Arises With The Truth**

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The panic quickly flared in Ratchet's chest as he quickly sprang forward to check her pulse, pressing two fingers to the vein in her neck. His head snapped up and locked onto Ironhide and Hound, motioning them over to his general area. He positioned himself behind the girl's head, cradling it softly, and ordered Ironhide to take one of her wings and fold it against her back. Hound obediently grabbed the other wing, gentle yet firm so it wouldn't slip, and folded it to her back like Ironhide did. This made two things possible: her wings wouldn't get in the way and they wouldn't get any more injured than they already were.

The battle hardened medic started to bind the girl's head wound to staunch the flow of blood; Hound secured her arms over her chest via the medic's instructions so she wouldn't hurt herself. When Ratchet was finished he placed an arm under her neck, on her upper back, and his other under her knees, lifting her easily in his holoform's arms.

The girl's silver eyes opened slightly, albeit cloudy with the pain from being jostled, and traveled from face to face as Optimus retrieved Ratchet's med-kit. Ratchet moved as slowly as he could, shifting the girl in his arms slightly, and wincing as he heard her gasp quietly. He froze, letting her settle in a comfortable position before continuing onward. The started back up the cliff but the girl started to struggle, wincing in agony.

"Please! My necklace!" she pleaded as a thought struck her; she weakly pointed to a branch on the dilapidating tree. A faint glimmer could be seen from the brush as the girl struggled to get free from the medic's arms in order to retrieve it. A glare from Ratchet and Hound quickly snatched the necklace from the tree as Optimus and Ironhide secured her wings with gauze from the kit.

Silent tears of pain trickled down her face, making the Autobots look away as their sparks tugged painfully in their chests. Optimus handed the necklace to the girl, calming her almost instantly. She relaxed into Ratchet's arms while they picked their way back up the slope. The swaying motion caused the girls eyes to droop as she drifted into unconsciousness once more. The old medic was instantly alert, stopping to check the girl's vitals. He let out a relieved sigh when he realized that she was only sleeping.

"She's only sleeping. The poor girl deserves her rest." he relayed to the others, who nodded, and continued to where Sam, Mikaela, and Bumblebee stood waiting. Once they reached the top Mikaela instantly demanded to know if the girl was alright. Ratchet nodded his head in a positive manner but his eyes conveyed the seriousness of the situation.

"We can't linger. We MUST get her back to my primary form!" Ratchet insisted, shaking his head. He looked down at the girl who was sleeping in his arms, a faint trail of blood dripping down her chin.

The young blonde scout stared intently at the mysterious girl's face, studying and imprinting each line and crease of her skin into his central processor. She was, indeed, beautiful, with the deathly pale pigmentation of her skin and her blood red lips. Even though he didn't know the femme he wanted to get to know her once she awoke from stasis.

"She may not pull through. She's lost too much blood and she's slightly hypothermic." Ratchet's tired and weary voice cut through the night sky like a butter knife, pulling everyone from their thoughts.

"What do you mean?!" demanded Ironhide, inching closer to the old medic while balling up his fists. That meant that he worked so hard for nothing…and the girl needed to live! It caused his aged spark to ache knowing that there was nothing that the Weapons Specialist could do to help. Ratchet sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day.

"What I'm saying is that she's lost a vast amount of blood. Far more than a normal human can lose to survive. That is why we need to get her back to my primary form; I have the necessary tools to help her healing progress but that is only if we can get her back in time." he explained in exasperation. He was already halfway back toward his primary mode, trying not to jostle his precious cargo than need be.

Bee and the others chased after them, Optimus making sure that nobody got in Ratchet's way. Wheeljack, now sporting his holoform with short white hair and pale yellow scrubs, opened the back of Ratchet's medical area; he motioned them inside, frowning at the girl with a sad face. He already had a large amount of bandages ready for their use.

"Lay her on the table" he instructed Ratchet as they disappeared inside the Search and Rescue Hummer. Bee and the others let their holoforms drop as they transformed back into their bipedal modes. The young scout sat on a boulder a few feet from everyone else, tilting his head up to gaze at the stars. Not long after he slipped into a light recharge, his bright blue eyes dimming down into a soft blue.

Hours later he awoke feeling slightly refreshed but still worried about the girl. He paced back and forth in front of the Search and Rescue Hummer, trying to get his mind off the fact that the girl may not survive her trauma. The young sun colored scout paused, staring at the ground. He noticed something sparkling out of the corner of his optics, vaguely remembering the girl was carrying something that sparkled like that.

"She must have dropped this...and…I should return it to her." he mumbled, kneeling down next to the sparkling object. He carefully picked it up between two of his giant fingers and brought it closer to his facial plates. The strange metal almost glowed in the moonlight, casting an almost unnatural glow to shine upon his facial plates.

The material was shaped like a flaming bird, wings flared out towards the sky. The bird had a long and graceful neck, curled down next to its chest, and had a tail that split down the middle into separate smaller ones. There was an urethral flame on the tips of its spread wings and clutched in the majestic bird's mouth was a glowing crystal. It was like a small glowing orb of light, captivating all who gazes at it. Little sparkles of light danced within the crystal, dancing against their confinement.

"I wasn't sure at first but know I know. I recognize the girl from my past…before I was awarded the title of Prime." Optimus' voice reverberated behind Bumblebee. Bee jumped in surprise, whirling around to stare at his commander. Hound and Ironhide fell into stasis just a while ago, next to the tents where their human companions slept.

"What do you mean, Sir? You knew her from your past?" Bumblebee asked, still turned toward his leader. Optimus gazed at the necklace, deep in thought. Finally he turned back to the scout, a strange and sad gleam occupying his bright blue optics.

"I will tell you what I know, but first we must wake Hound and Ironhide." The Autobot Commander said as Ratchet's holoform opened the door to the medical area of his Search and Rescue Hummer form.

Wheeljack's holoform carried the unconscious girl out from the medical area so Ratchet could transform to his bipedal mode. The white haired inventor had a look of rage upon his face while Ratchet held his stoic medic look, however, you could practically feel the anger radiating from his metallic body.

"Report soldier." Optimus commanded as the medic started clenching and unclenching his fists. Ratchet's teeth clenched together a he forced himself not to pound his fist into anything close to him.

"Sir! The girl has several lacerations and contusions on various locations of her body. She has several puncture wounds, as if from needles, and a broken wrist, which has also been set with a cast. Her left wing was almost ripped from her back so we had to literally stitch the skin back together. Her right wing has been fractured, but nothing serious. She also has a rather large laceration on her forehead." he concluded angrily, waking Hound and Ironhide from their stasis.

"We must be quiet. By Earthen terms it is still very early in the morning." Hound whispered, bringing a finger to his lip components in an attempt to hush the others.

_**Hound is correct **_Optimus said, opening a private com link between all of the Autobots.

_**Now all of you listen to the story I must tell. Before any of us were created, even Ironhide, there was a special second race that lived on Cybertron. **_he started as the other Autobots settled down on the grass. They knew something serious was happening for the Autobot Commander rarely spoke of his past. Optimus waited until everyone got situated before settling down himself and continuing the story.

_**This other species was totally different than us Autonomous Robotic Organisms. They were organic.**_Optimus said, earning startled looks from the others. Bumblebee listened with his bright blue optics wide; the others hung on every word completely focused on the story of their Commander's past. The aged medic had heard this story before but always thought that it was just a myth. He looked at the winged girl, trying to decide if it was just myth or reality. It was just a myth, right?

_**The organics had an eternal life, like us, and did not need water nor food to survive. They converted energon into compatible energy for their organic needs. They took the form of great birds, crimson in color, but could also take on a humanoid form. They had wings and their eyes were a beautiful silver color.**_the great mech leader reminisced thoughtfully. The other Autobots spared a glance at the girl, now more interested than ever.

_**Yes, the last Phoenix was when I was a young bot, still under the name of Orion Pax. Her name was Nexia and she was but a small child then. Her grandfather and I were close friends, but, sadly, we couldn't see each other as much as we had hoped. Unfortunately they died out when the Decepticons found out about their powers. **_Optimus said, continuing with his story. The other bots were hanging onto his every word; it was something that he was always able to do - he was a great storyteller.

_**It was probably because they had mysterious healing powers, that only worked on organics, mind you. They could also fly, due to their massive wings, and they could control fire and could produce mystifying sounds with their song. They often called the fire "Phoenix Fire". Soon they hid from all transformers except for my friend. He told me that he sent his granddaughter to a far world and could only be recognized by one thing. **_Optimus explained, glancing down at the necklace that the girl had with her.

_**What would that be, Sir? **_Ratchet asked, eyeing the necklace in Optimus' hand.

_**This. **_the great commander said, holding out the necklace for the other bots to see.

_**The jewel represents a Phoenix's spark. The dimmer it gets means the closer to death the Phoenix is and it is the only way a Phoenix can die, other than being killed in battle or dieing of a broken spark. If it is crushed or shattered than the phoenix will die. **_he continued, looking at the wavering light. The light was slowly getting dimmer but then it would brighten up again in small intervals.

_**I am positive that the girl is Nexia, the granddaughter of my friend from Cybertron. She is the last remaining Cybertronian Phoenix. **_Optimus declared, optics burning with determination. Bumblebee's optics were wide with amazement while Hound and Ironhide were conversing with excitement. By this time the sun was beginning to rise and it was a new day.

"My scans show that the girl's internal body is slowly stabilizing. Although the crystal says that she will live I am unsure if she will wake. She has lost a vast amount of blood." Ratchet said, breaking the silence of the excited atmosphere. He was unaware that the crystal was glowing brighter with each word he said, pulsating softly in time with his own spark.

Optimus subspaced the necklace, intending to give it back to her when she awoke. He turned to his soldiers, smiling behind his faceplate when he saw how excited they were.

"It's been a long day. Get some recharge everyone." he said, settling down upon a rather large patch of grass. The large bot shifted slowly until he was lying on his back, gazing up at the soft sky. He could hear the others settling down for stasis as well, hoping to get a few hours of recharge before the humans awoke.

Ratchet settled up against a tree next to his new charge, slowly but subtly sneaking glances at her once in a while. He promised himself that he would make sure that she got better, more for Optimus' sake than for his. The large bot was so intent on believing that the girl was, indeed, Nexia. He looked at the girl, absorbing everything that was going on around her.

Her wings were well enough that they didn't need splints but her ankle and wrist were not that lucky. He scanned her once more with his deep penetration scanning system before deciding that she could be left alone for a while. Leaning up against a tree he slipped into a light recharge, keeping one optic open on the girl.

Ironhide settled down with Bumblebee beside the tents; Ironhide beside the Lennox's tent and Bee beside Sam and Mikaela's tent. Hound settled down near a pile of fallen trees while Wheeljack was on the other side of Ratchet, also keeping an optic on the mysterious winged girl.

Hours passed since the Autobots found the girl and there was no change in her condition. It was now mid morning and Sarah was the first to wake. The girl laid motionless on a mat that Sarah had provided when she first noticed the winged girl's injured condition.

Sarah was currently trying to brush the nasty tangles out of the girl's beautiful hair. Sam and Mikaela had gone for a swim and Will and Ironhide had gone fishing. Ratchet stayed by Sarah and the girl in case the young phoenix's condition worsened.

"Poor girl. She's so inured…and so young." Sarah said to nobody in particular as she stroked the girl's face. The older woman pushed her blonde hair into a messy ponytail as she rose to clean out the tent. As she did so a muffled groan caught her attention; she turned around and stepped outside of the tent once again in order to see what caused the noise. Ratchet was in a deeper recharge than before so he couldn't have possibly made the groan. The only explanation was that the girl was waking up!

"Ratchet!! Wake up!" Sarah whispered harshly, shaking the larger bot's leg. The medial officer's optics snapped online and his scanners instantly started to scan the girl's vitals. The girl groaned louder as her eyes fluttered open, revealing her haunting silver irises. Ratchet bent over the girl, staring into her eyes as she smiled softly. Her eyes traveled over to Sarah, widening as she realized that Sarah was a human.

"By Primus, a human!" the girl gasped, struggling against Ratchet's metal hand, and whimpering as Sarah tried to approach her. His face grew worried as the stitches in her side ripped open, blood pouring freely from the wound once again. Soon she tired herself out and was leaning against Ratchet's arm for support.

Sarah cautiously crept forward and offered the winged girl a cup of cold water. The girl looked back and forth between the cup and Sarah a couple of times, meekly accepting the cup after some encouragement from the medic behind her. She drank, mindful not to drip anything on her ripped and muddy black shirt as it was the only thing she was wearing aside from the pants.

"Thank you..." the winged girl whispered softly, offering a shy smile to the human woman. Sarah could tell that she was still afraid so she backed off slightly after giving the injured girl a warm smile.

Ratchet lifted the girl up to optic level, scanning the injury on her side. He didn't want to seem possessive but it was in his nature as a medic to take care of those who were injured. He decided that the wound only needed some new bandages but her stitches were fine.

_**Optimus, the girl has woken from stasis. **_Ratchet commed to his Commander, gently stroking the winged girl's back. The soft soothing motion calmed her somewhat as she sighed contently.

_**Understood. All Autobots will be there shortly. **_Optimus said, closing the link from Ratchet. While waiting Ratchet changed the girl's bandages, gently prodding the wound with one of his external sensors that was conveniently located in his finger.

"I'm sorry, little one, if I am causing you pain but I must make sure the wound is clean." he explained quietly, trying not to startle the poor girl any further. She nodded, gritting her teeth in pain and letting him continue to examine her.

Soon the rumbling of a semi truck could be heard, followed by a yellow Camero, GMC Topkick, a forest green Jeep, and a white Ford Focus. They skidded to a halt, releasing their passengers, and transformed into their bipedal modes. Optimus kneeled down next to the girl and offered one massive finger in greeting.

"My name is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. We are very honored to meet the last of the Cybertronian Phoenixes." he said, watching her intently with his electric blue optics. She looked at him with shock before looking at the faces of the other mechs and humans. The shock dissolved into a warm smile as she stood, grasping Optimus' finger. She turned, with the help of Ratchet, and faced the Autobots.

"My name, as you all probably know, is Nexia, Nex for short. Will you listen to my story?" she asked, earning vigorous nods from mechs and humans alike. She nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Well then. You may want to get comfortable. It is quite a long story but I shall summarize the best I can." she said. Everyone proceeded to do so but Nexia felt herself being pulled into the air and set down upon a yellow-green shoulder. She looked at him quizzically but the medic only smiled and shook his head.

"My name is Ratchet just in case you haven't heard." he whispered, making her smile softly at him. Her eyes danced as the silver glowed, becoming much more prominent in her haunting irises. The look on her face was contagious as he found himself smiling as well.

Meanwhile, on the ground near Bumblebee, Mikaela caught sight of the two smiling at each other. She smirked and thought about all the ways she could get Ratchet and Nexia to admit their feelings.

Once everyone got settled Nexia looked around, finally deciding to start her story.

"As you know I am neither human nor an autonomous robotic organism. I am an organic life form from the metallic planet of Cybertron. We were used as pets for the Quentessons, the creators of the Autobots and the Decepticons. We were very unhappy as pets so naturally we were excited that there was a new race to befriend. I know I was, even though I was very young at the time." Nexia said, fondly remembering her time with the new creations.

"They were happy being who they were and they would visit us from time to time. I vaguely remember my Grandfather talking about a mech named Orion Pax. Those workers were my friends and I imprinted their spark signature into my mind and memory. That way I could recognize them anywhere in the universe, even though their new title was the Autobots. Soon after there was a revolt of the Phoenixes and most of my people were killed." she said as a crystalline tear crept down her face.

"Who killed them?" Will asked, wrapping an arm around his wife, tears dripping down Sarah's face as well. Nexia looked down at the cast on her arm, deep in thought. She drew her legs up and curled her good arm around them as she thought about the past. The sullen winged girl jumped as she felt a finger stroke her back in a comforting manner. She looked up into the face of the medic, smiling slightly in response to the warm look on his face.

"It is alright. Take your time. Remembering the past is always hard - especially when the memories aren't very pleasant." he whispered, patiently waiting for her to continue. She looked down as she continued to tell her story.

"It was Megatron. He killed them all except my grandfather and I. My grandfather was gravely injured in the attack and spent all of his energy to protect me and send me into space. I drifted through space for a countless amount of years before I crashed on Earth. I spent four years hiding in the forest and abandoned houses. I remember children being afraid of the supposedly 'haunted' forest that I lived in. Then, about two years later, a group of alien hunters called Sector Seven found me." she said, another tear rolling down her face. She could feel the medic stiffen underneath her fingers while Bumblebee's optics dimmed.

"Sector Seven?!" Mikaela gasped, grabbing onto Sam's arm. Bee crooned at her, a sat yet spiteful look in his optics. It was almost like he knew what it was like being trapped within their presence.

"Sector Seven captured me, tortured me, and almost sent me into termination. They took away my spark, ran experiments on it, and almost crushed it in the process." she continued.

"We Phoenix people are naturally peaceful, preferring to live in harmony with other creatures. They took a vast amount of blood, probably for testing, and plucked several feathers from my wings. Then, a few months ago, I escaped when they captured an 'NBE'." she said, pausing to wet her lips.

The Autobots were concentrating on her every word but Ratchet felt himself become furious. It must have been his nature as a medic, caring for each and every living thing. Life was precious and should not be tortured in any way. He looked around and found that the carefree Wheeljack had his face plates scrunched in anger as well.

"I hid on the edge of Tranquility, about as far as I could get from Hoover Dam. Everything was good for a while until some of the football jocks decided to search me out. I was running from them last night, in the storm, but I tripped down the cliff. And then you found me, Ratchet. You're my knight in Cybertronian metal." she said, pecking him on the cheek plate. He was immensely glad that his armor could not change colors when they blushed but he couldn't hide the heat that was quickly rising.

Optimus sat still, thinking over what the young Phoenix had told him. She had a rough life and he felt this compelling need to protect the girl. He knelt down and looked the young girl straight in the silver eyes.

"Nexia, how about staying with one of us?" he asked, watching her face carefully. Her eyes brightened and she shook her head vigorously.

"Great. She can stay with us." Sarah announced, standing up and disappearing within the tent. Nexia's eyes widened in horror but she bowed her head in acceptance as the Autobot medic assured her she could go back and forth as she pleased.

Sarah came back a bit later with more bandages, handing them to Ratchet. Nexia sighed but it quickly turned into a squeak of surprise as Ratchet picked her up and set her upon the ground. He activated his holoform and set upon changing her bandages. With the heavy sedatives she didn't feel a thing but quickly fell into a deep sleep. Ratchet chuckled softly and whispered a goodnight, not going unnoticed by Mikaela, who smirked as she remembered her plan to get them together.


	4. Bonding Time With the Humans

**This chapter has been revised!! Thank you for reading!.**

**I probably did not mention a disclaimer so here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any sort of Transformers!! (The idea I mean. I do own some merchandise.) I only own Nexia and her grandfather!**

**Thanks to everyone who read my story!**

**Todel - Thank you for the review!!**

**Setsuna the Dragon - Thank you so much for your review!**

**xXsomeoneelseXx - I appreciate all of the reviews I get and yours made me extremely happy (along with everyone else's)**

**ninja-pirate-alchemist - I hope I spelt your name right...anyway thanks for your review!**

**Elita One - She'll find out sooner or later!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Bonding Time With The Humans**

* * *

A few weeks have passed and Nexia is somewhat comfortably living in the Lennox's attic. She adamantly refused when Sarah asked if she would rather stay in the guest room saying that she didn't want to be a burden to them. It was true; the winged girl didn't want to be a burden but at the same time she was still afraid of the Lennox family. It would be a while before she could fully trust humans but she was working on it.

Nexia's once knotted and tangled hair was now soft and straight, shining softly in the morning sunlight. She was borrowing some of Mikaela's clothing, a tight dress-like shirt that reached her knees, with a low-cut back for her wings, and tight jeans that hugged her slim legs. She still wore her combat-like boots, however, because she saw no need to get new ones.

Nexia flipped on the radio in the kitchen, humming along with the song. She flipped to another station when it ended, stopping to listen when a familiar song came on. Once the song started she started twirling, singing along with the lyrics with her eyes closed.

"_I shake my head around, walking away without a sound. I sit in the corner, staring at a wall; awaiting for time yet time seems to stall._" she sang softly, not noticing Sam and Mikaela knock on the screen door behind her.

"_Each cold hard laugh cuts me deep, through my silent mouth my dreams start to seep. The evil looks pierce my right to the bone, my eyes loose the luster with which they once shone." _She swayed to the music as she continued to sing, oblivious to the attention she was receiving. She concentrated on images from her past, voicing them as illusions that played like movies upon the den wall.

"_I can't call this a nightmare 'cause the sun's in the sky, Day by day thinkin' as I always get by. My eyes start to flutter and I wish to sleep, Yet I can't climb Dream Mountain; It's way too steep. So awake I stay... Words start to play... So I shall call this my neverending daymare, Oh my neverending daymare." _she continued as Mikaela opened the door, quietly tiptoeing into the sitting room with Sam. She looked around the house, gasping as she watched the images unfold on the wall, like a movie.

**Scene One**

A young girl of six ran into the arms of an elderly man, still well built but showing the age he has achieved. She wore a small dress, ivy in color, and had bright silver eyes. Her hair reached her chin and was a beautiful shade of auburn. He smiled, hugging the girl close to him. She pulled back, beaming a beautiful smile up at him. The young girl seemed very familiar, almost like a miniature version of the winged figure dancing and singing in the room before the two humans.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Can you take me flying!?" she asked, unfurling her little wings. They were so tiny! She had asked her grandfather because her wings were still too little to support her body in the air.

"But of course, little one." he said, gathering her up in his strong arms. He spread his great and powerful gray wings and lifted off from the ground into the air. The little girl giggled uncontrollably, flexing her tiny wings a little. He soared through the air with the girl, eventually coming back to a stop on the ground.

"Grandpa, when will I be able to fly?" the little girl asked, curiosity and longing apparent in her wide eyes.

"When you are older, my dear. When you are older you will soar through the heavens, my beautiful Nexia." he said, smiling softly while ruffling the young girl's hair. She scrunched up her nose in a vain attempt at a pout but soon dissolved into a small bout of laughter with the old man.

**End Scene One **

Little Nexia's giggling voice faded as did the picture upon the wall as Nexia continued singing. She flared her wings out, the longest of her feathers sweeping across the floor. Her shirt flared out when she spun, eyes closed while reminiscing things of the past.

"_Yet the horrible days fly by into the years, with only a few to confide in my fears._

_I'm way to shy to say what I'm truly thinkin' about, and as time passes by I learn how to shout."_ She sang, slowing her dancing as another movie appeared on the wall.

**Scene Two**

An older girl of around fourteen flew behind an elderly man, obviously an older version of Nexia and her grandfather. She smiled at the elder man as they flew around the skies of Iacon, their only day free from the cages of the Quentessons. Once a year they were free from their cages and this year her grandfather decided that she was to meet his good friend.

She flew a little higher, letting the warm breeze of the wind carry her through the air of Cybertron. The putrid air didn't affect her lungs since all Phoenixes have special air filters; she flew higher than her grandfather despite his playful shouts for her to slow down.

"Are we almost there, Grandfather?" she asked as she flew ever higher, gaining speed as she went. The old man matched her speed, grinning as he dove behind her. She gave a little squeak of surprised laughter, turning so that she was floating upon her back.

"Yes, my dear little Nexia. We shall soon arrive and meet my good friend, Orion Pax." he said, chasing the frisky girl with a laugh. The girl and her grandfather turned and tumbled through the maze of metallic buildings, causing havoc and mayhem as they went. They soon spotted the warehouse where Orion worked, flitting down to the entrance as quietly as they could. As they descended they were greeted by a fairly large, and very friendly, blue and red mech.

"Hello, little one. My name is Orion Pax." he said, picking her up and setting her down upon his shoulder. She stared at him for a couple of seconds; she was shy of new strangers but she could sense the good within Orion's spark.

"Hi. My name is Nexia, Nex for short." She smiled back. She decided that she would be nice since she could practically feel the warmth emanating from his spark.

**End Scene Two**

The current adult form of Nexia stopped singing, coming to a stop in the middle of the room. She was silent for a couple of seconds, reabsorbing the power of her song once again.

"_People stop teasin' as we start to agree, Is it them or is it the changed me? I don't care anymore as I laugh out loud, Smirking at them as they watch from the crowd._" she continued, coming to the end of the song. She pretended that Orion was there with her to scoop her off her feet, but of course she knew that Orion Pax had been transmuted into Optimus Prime. She wasn't stupid.

"_I can't call this a nightmare 'cause the sun's in the sky, Day by day thinkin' as I always get by. My eyes start to flutter and I wish to sleep, Yet I can't climb Dream Mountain; It's way too steep. So awake I stay... Words start to play... So I shall call this my neverending daymare, Oh my neverending daymare." _She finished giving a small bow before walking to the radio and flipping it off. She brushed a stray hair of auburn from her face, turning to face the door.

"Hey. Nice song." Mikaela smirked, pulling Sam into view. Nexia blushed, backing up toward the couch. She still didn't trust people that well but she needed to in order to blend in. The winged girl drew a deep breath before waving timidly at the pair, steeling herself for human contact.

"Are you ready? We can wait if you're not." Mikaela asked Nexia, grabbing onto the winged girl's arm. Nexia flinched, instinctively shying away from Mikaela's touch. The other girl frowned for a split second before shrugging it off and grabbing Nexia's arm again, ushering her toward the door. The second time the human female touched Nexia's arm she was more relaxed; she knew it was coming so she didn't shy away.

"Ready to go where?" Nexia asked, walking outside after putting on her shoes. She flexed her wings in the sun, wincing as she stretched the sore tendons a little too much. The small stitches stretched, pulling on her skin as she relaxed her injured wing.

"To the mall!" Sam exclaimed, rushing out the door, closely followed by his girlfriend. Nexia frowned, thinking about the close proximity she would be with other humans. Even though she was getting used to being by their side she was not quite sure she was ready to be in such close proximity of several hundred humans at once. Nexia sighed; there was no way she was getting out if it.

"Do I have to go?" she asked, spotting Bee from the porch. She smiled as she watched the yellow scout transform and kneel down in front of her, offering one of his fingers. She took it, planting a small kiss on his fingertip with a smile as he crooned softly to her. No matter how uncomfortable she was she knew that she had to go or face the wrath of the young human female.

"You don't want to wear the same clothes forever, now, do you? That would be disgusting!" Mikaela exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at the cowering winged form.

"What is wrong with wearing the same clothing? On Cybertron we wore clothing for weeks at a time. They were made out of a specific fiber so they wouldn't get soiled." Nexia asked, tilting her head innocently to the side. She was confused; who would change their clothing every single day?

Unknown to Nexia Sam had moved to block the doorway behind her so she couldn't escape. She tried to back up, only running into Sam as she did so. She sighed, finally giving in to the human female's demands.

"Alright! I'll go. Please stop bothering me about going." she said, throwing her arms into the air. Bee chirped happily in the background as Mikaela hugged her, being careful of the special casts Ratchet had set. If the human realized the winged girl had stiffened she didn't show it; she started dragging her towards Bumblebee instead.

"Wait. What about the wings? Won't they cause a problem?" Sam asked, pointing to the large wings protruding from Nexia's back. Mikaela let out a disappointed sigh as she looked at them, realizing their dilemma.

Nexia looked back and forth between the two bickering humans, sighing and closing her eyes. She concentrated, controlling her energy flow to her wings. She cut off the energy supply, willing her wings to disappear. Soon enough they became transparent, fading away into nothingness.

Mikaela and Sam gawked at Nexia, watching the crimson wings fade away into nothingness. Bee made a confused chirp before leaning forward, waving a large finger through the void where her wings used to be. He jumped back slightly when he met nothing but air and looked at the girl with a questioning glance.

"You can't feel my wings, can you?" She asked laughing slightly at the three astonished faces. The auburn haired girl glanced back at her wingless back, an awkward feeling creeping up her spine now that the familiar weight was gone.

"No. There is nothing but air. How in Primus did you accomplish that?" the curious yellow scout inquired, voicing the question that all three of them had in mind. Mikaela stepped forward, searching Nexia's back, but came back with the same outcome as the mech.

"I've taught myself a couple of tricks to blend in with people. It's mainly for my protection since I would be labeled for a freak because of my wings." she said, sadly gazing at the ground in front of her.

"I can make my wings invisible and transparent by cutting off the supply of energy I send to them from my core. There is a backup supply of energy that powers up our energy – separate from our sparks. Our sparks keep us alive but don't power our attacks." she explained smiling slightly at the humans' clueless faces.

She walked over to Bumblebee, who transformed back into his vehicle mode, and turned around to face the two humans. She might as well get this over with when she was in a good mood; there was no turning back now.

"Wait, what about your eyes? Silver, no offence, is not a normal color. Pretty, but still abnormal." Mikaela commented, walking over to Nexia and staring her in the eyes. The silver eyed girl looked downcast, biting her lip; she thought about her abnormal irises and how much trouble they had caused for her in the past.

The sensitive yellow mech revved his engine, trying to bring comfort to the silver eyed girl as the others tried to come up with an idea.

"What about contacts? Do you have any contacts?" Nexia asked gaining the attention of the others. The two humans shook their head, disappointment dripping from their face until Mikaela brought up a valid idea.

"We could say they are colored contacts if anyone asks. Silver is a rare color but it wouldn't draw much attention." she suggested, looking at the silver eyed girl in question. Mikaela beamed when Nexia nodded her consent, grabbing the poor girl's pale hand and pushing her into Bee's backseat.

"To the mall! Hurry, Bee, lets go!" Mikaela exclaimed, while Sam and Nexia groaned; Sam groaned because he was going to carry a multitude of bags while Nexia groaned because she was going up against one of her fears.

Thirty minutes later Bee pulled into the mall parking lot, coming to a stop in front of the entrance. He sat idle for a few moments, patiently waiting for his passengers to exit from his vehicle form. He gave an encouraging chirp to the mortified Phoenix, hoping that it was enough to raise her spirits.

"I'll be back in a few hours," Bee said. "Optimus wanted me for a recon mission." he continued, activating his holoform as Sam closed the door. The blond haired surfer boy blew Nexia a gentle kiss before turning back to the road and pulling out of the parking lot.

Nexia whimpered as she watched Bumblebee's vehicle form drive away, finally turning to face the dozens of humans milling around he door when he disappeared from sight. Mikaela chuckled, taking Nexia's arm and dragging her into the nearest store.

The silver eyed girl sighed in annoyance and dismay, dutifully trying on each outfit that the human girl picked out. She would stall in the changing room for as long as she could before Mikaela barged in and dragged her out in front of the whole store. Quite a crowd of young men had gathered around the windows to watch as she tried on each outfit. Finally, when they were through with the first store, Nexia spoke up.

"How are we going to pay for all of this? I don't have any money and I don't think you could pay for all of this." Nexia softly said, walking forward with an armful of clothes. She was about to discretely put an outfit back on the shelf but the human girl took the bundle of clothing from her arms.

"Captain Lennox and Optimus set us up. We can get as much as you need." Sam said, eyes darkening at the thought of the bags that he was going to carry. They weren't even through with their third store and his arms were already laden down with heavy bags.

Mikaela eyed Nexia's slim form, planning to steer her in the direction of clothing that a certain CMO would enjoy. They gave their bags to Sam, who protested quietly, and started for another store. Nexia was glad for the change; most of the clothing the human girl made her try on was far from modest.

"This store has almost everything. Mix and match however you want!" Mikaela said, shoving her victim to the nearest clothing rack. She wandered off to talk to Sam outside the store as Nexia looked through the clothing rack. The silver eyed girl tried to hide her apparent distaste for the clothing displayed in front of her but she tried to act civil – if not for Mikaela's sake then she would for herself.

Most of the clothing was bright enough to hurt your eyes but one thing caught her eye. It was a knee length dark red skirt with slits on either side that reached her mid thighs. Attached to the skirt were several layers of soft, silky mesh; the black of the mesh contrasted nicely with the dark red of the under layered material.

She took the skirt and put it in her basked without Mikaela noticing, smirking as she did so. Finally, she would have at least one piece of clothing she would enjoy wearing. Another skirt drew her attention – it was short, reaching mid thigh at least, and was a soft emerald green. Black lace rested on the top in an over layer, contrasting beautifully with the green. She would have both skirts so if the human female discovered one she would still have the other.

Nexia didn't prefer bright colors, instead preferring dark, soothing colors. She wandered over to the shirts, rifling through them until she found a matching black belly shirt. Nexia also found several vests that she could wear over white button up shirts; most of them had some sort of intricate design on them.

She put the shirt and vests in the basket with the skirt and wandered over the mesh and fishnet area. Nexia was vaguely surprised that the human female would even consider taking her to this kind of store. This area had anything from tights to hair bands. She picked out a thin, silver fishnet tank to put over the shirt and a pair of camouflage arm warmers. She found two pairs of lace arm warmers – one black and the other white – and a pair of dainty mesh fingerless gloves. They were skin tight and laced up her arm to the elbow.

"I think that will do it. I don't want Mikaela to have a heart attack." Nexia murmured to herself, wandering up to the cashier and paying for her clothes with the money she was given.

"Now for shoes!" Mikaela exclaimed, dragging Nexia and Sam to yet another store. Nexia sighed, obediently trying on shoe after shoe. Soon Mikaela had gotten her two pairs of sneakers, two pairs of heels, flip flops and ninja style sandals, and, her personal favorite, a pair of combat boots that laced half way up her calves. Nexia smiled, happy to finally leave the messy, not to mention noisy, mall.

They waited outside for the hyperactive yellow mech, who had previously contacted Sam to say that he was on his way. A small girl wandered up to Nexia, tugging on her shirt with a small and chubby hand. The silver eyed girl stiffened, glancing down at the young figure tugging on her shirt. Nexia visibly relaxed when she realized that it was only a child, bending down to her level.

"Hey, lady Are you a fairy? You have sparkly eyes. You're so pretty!!" the little girl commented, sticking a thumb in her mouth. Nexia's eyes widened as Mikaela and Sam laughed quietly behind her. Nexia's mouth quirked upward into a soft smile as she patted the small girl on the head.

"No, sweetie, I'm not a fairy. Thank you, though, for complementing my eyes." Nexia said, softly squeezing the girl's hands. Bee pulled up behind the duo and winked at them, causing the girl to giggle and run off, probably to her mother. Bee's holoform stepped out from the car, helping Mikaela and Sam to pile the bags into his trunk. If the bags were heavy he didn't complain and she was grateful for the silence in the car.

"You have great timing Bee. I wanted to know where the conversation was going to go." Sam whined, smacking Bee lightly on the hood before climbing in. Nexia and Mikaela laughed openly at the two before also getting in the Camero. The yellow mech was ecstatic that the silver eyed girl laughed, spark swelling up with joy.

"Wow, Nex. I think you're getting more comfortable around Humans." Mikaela said, wrapping arm around the girl. Nexia smiled and leaned into the embrace, silently agreeing with the human girl. She was still uncomfortable around a large amount of humans but she was getting better around small groups. It helped, to some extent, that Bumblebee was there too.

_**Ironhide to Bumblebee**_ Bee's communication link flared to life. The kids became quiet, letting Ironhide's rough and scratchy voice flow through the interior of the car.

_**Bee responding. What do you need, Ironhide?**_ Bee asked. It was unusual that the black mech would call him for something since he was much older than Bumblebee.

_**Optimus Ahh...suggested that I uh...'make nice' I believe were the words he used. I would like to spend time with the girl. **_Ironhide grunted, obviously not looking forward to the outing. Optimus had forced him to contact Bumblebee and request time with the girl…to make friends with her. He would rather be at his personal shooting range and not babysitting some brat.

_**Well she's the last of her kind so you better make nice! Did Optimus really put you up to this? **_Bee asked him, amusement clearly evident in his voice. Ironhide wasn't the sort of mech who would want to make friends with someone that easily.

_**Well...Ratchet all but threatened that I needed to treat his patient nicely. I was going to show her my cannons. He doesn't need to know that we're going to my shooting range…and don't you say a word! **_Ironhide threatened. Bee mentally gulped, afraid for his life. When Ironhide threatens something you better believe that he will come through with that threat.

_**You better not mess with the Hatchet! He'll weld your aft to the ceiling! Trust me…it is not all that pleasant. **_Bee reminisced. He could hear Ironhide snort over the link, clearly mocking the young yellow scout.

_**I'll be there to pick the girl up shortly. Ironhide out. **_Ironhide's voice faded from Bee's speakers as he ended the link. The silver eyed girl sighed, not looking forward to her little 'visit' with the weapons specialist.

"Well I had better get you back before Ironhide throws a fit. You don't want to be around for one of those. Trust me, even Optimus is weary of one of those kinds of temper tantrums." Bumblebee told Nexia, speeding up quickly as he did.

They made it back in record time, Ironhide was waiting for them impatiently for them beside the porch. Sarah came bursting out of the door and down the stairs, gasping when she saw the Phoenix girl without wings. Nexia smiled slightly in embarrassment, explaining to Sarah that she could make her wings disappear at will.

"Ironhide is rather grumpy at the moment so I'll take care of your clothes. Ratchet also called. Since your fractures were not that severe he wanted to take off your casts." she said, disappearing inside the house.

"We better go. Sam has chores to do and his mom is so weird about that. He should have done them before we left but he is such a procrastinator." Mikaela said, hugging the slightly shorter silver eyed girl. Sam waved goodbye as Bee pulled away, revving his engine as he went. Nexia sighed, turning to the now vehicular Ironhide. He popped the door open, impatiently waiting as she climbed into the cab before setting off for his destination.

A while after they started driving Nexia tried to strike up a conversation. She fiddled nervously, pushing her hair behind her ear. It stayed in place for mere seconds before falling in front of her eyes once again.

"So...Ironhide? What exactly do you do? I mean…of course you're an Autobot but what is your position?" she timidly asked. She waited patiently for him to respond, watching the scenery pass. She finally gavie up on waiting for him to respond as they pulled into an abandoned warehouse. The door popped open again, silently telling her that this was the area that they were supposed to be.

"I am designation Weapons Specialist Ironhide. I am in charge of weapons training and development. My weapon of choice: Photon Cannons." he said, motioning toward the door of the warehouse.

Nexia smiled fully, silver eyes shining in the afternoon sun. She released the hold of energy on her wings, letting hem fade fully into view. She let out a small gasp, feeling the accelerating rush of energy flow from her wings and back into her own body. Ironhide looked on, finally transforming from his giant GMC Topkick into his great bipedal mode, black paint glinting maliciously in the sunlight.

"So, this is where you train? What type of weapons do you use other than your Photon Cannons?" Nexia asked, looking up at Ironhide in excitement. The bot blinked a couple of times before a grin spread across his face.

He picked the winged girl up and entered the warehouse, watching her wings flex and settle upon her back. He reached a crate and set her down, stepping back and whipping out his Plasma Cannon. It started charging, glowing a bright blue-white before letting out a plasma round, hitting the center of a target across the room. He then charged another cannon, smaller than the first, that pulsed with an electric current, burning away the target.

"Whoa! That is so awesome!" Nexia exclaimed, clapping her hands together in delight. Ironhide grinned again, puffing out his chest and activating his other guns and assorted weaponry. She smiled slightly, eyes gazing out towards the smoking target. She remembered a technique that her grandfather had taught her when she was still a youngster, barely thirty years old. But, of course, Phoenixes were like the transformers, they lived for several millennia. Now…she would still be considered young but in human years she was well over 3 million years old.

"You know... I can do something like that. I'm against using it toward innocent humans, though, so that's why I didn't use it on that Trent guy. I call it my Phoenix Fire Ball. Wanna see?" Nexia asked, grinning wildly. Ironhide nodded, stepping back and allowing Nexia to stand on the crate.

She took a breath and closed her eyes, concentrating like she did when her wings vanished. She opened her eyes and outstretched her hand, palm open and facing up. Ironhide watched intently as Nexia called upon her Phoenix flame. She opened her eyes and smirked, throwing the huge fireball toward the target and watching as it was engulfed in flames.

A horn startled Ironhide out of his stupor, alerting them that another Autobot was on the other side of the wall. The giant mech picked Nexia up, aware that her hand that was not in cast was still flaming. She jumped from his hand to his shoulder, holding onto his helm as he exited the building.

"Hello Ironhide, Nexia. Bumblebee was so kind to reveal your location to me when I discovered you weren't at the Lennox Ranch." Ratchet greeted, transforming from his Search and Rescue vehicle mode to his bipedal robot mode. Ironhide plucked Nexia off his shoulder as she waved at the disgruntled medic, arm still aflame.

"Nexia, your arm! Its been set aflame!" the medic cried in surprise, pointing to the said appendage. She looked at the arm in question and let out a small 'oh dear', quickly extinguishing the flame before the medic had time to rush forward. She and Ratchet stared at each other for a few moments, quickly looking away when they realized they were staring at each other. A blush crawled up the Phoenix's face as Ratchet cleared his air intakes.

Ironhide gave Nexia one last gruff grin and a pat on the head before handing her over to the bewildered medic. He transformed into the Black GMC Topkick that everyone knew him for and sped off, probably back to the Lennox's. Nexia looked up at Ratchet and smiled, flexing her wings subconsciously in her nervous state.

"What was that? Why was your arm not in pain?" the curious medic asked, kneeling down to her height.

"It was Phoenix Fire - condensed energy formed into a controllable flame in the palm of a Phoenix's hand." she explained, answering his question. He nodded, setting her down and activating his holoform. He took out a mini laser from his breast pocket, turning it on and reaching for the cast on Nexia's arm.

"Don't worry. It's only a small laser. I won't even burn your skin." Ratchet said with a small smile. Nexia relaxed, letting him handle the laser. True to his word the laser didn't touch her skin and certainly didn't cause her any pain. She flexed her hand and rotated her ankle when the casts were off, easing them into use. Ratchet then moved onto her left wing, checking the conjuncture of the bone to the skin.

"Your wing should be better in a few weeks. Try not to fly or it will break again." Ratchet said sternly, sticking a finger in Nexia's face. She smiled sheepishly, earning a half-hearted glare from the Autobot medic in return.

"We better get you back. Although Ironhide acts like he doesn't care you are now a part of the old bot's spark. He looked happier than he has been for quite some time." Ratchet finally said after a long while of silence.

Nexia nodded, putting a hand over her mouth while yawning and stretching. His holoform disappeared while his bipedal form transformed into the familiar Search and Rescue vehicle. Nexia climbed into the passenger seat; Ratchet immediately slipping the seatbelt over her lap as a precaution. The ride was uneventful but was smooth, causing Nexia to fall asleep before they reached the house.

Ratchet activated his holoform again when they reached the main road, tightening the seatbelt around the sleeping girl so she wouldn't be harmed. He smiled softly as he looked over her sleeping form, raising the heat just a little so she wouldn't get cold. Something so innocent should not have been treated the way she has been. She should not have even been caught up in the wars in the first place.

He pulled up to the Lennox's house, parking quietly and opening his door. He slid the seatbelt off Nexia and gathered her in his holoform's arms, carrying her up the porch where Will was waiting.

"Thanks, Ratch." he said as the CMO, being uncharacteristically gentle, handed the girl over. The medic's holoform grunted as it dispersed; the hummer speeding off into the night. Will shook his head and carefully navigated his way up to the attic. He took off Nexia's shoes and tucked her into the bed, whispering a goodnight and turning to go to bed with Sarah.


	5. Healing Component?

**Setsuna the Dragon - Yeah, ultimately it should be a Ratchet/Nexia fic but I don't really know. I should be able to tell in a few more chapters.**

**Elita One - lol Ratch-man is a bot who was built for worrying about people.**

**Thanks for reviewing guys! Other reviews are muchly appreciated and will ultimately help me in the future.**

**This chapter has been revised!!**

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**Chapter 4**

**A Healing Component?**

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An excruciating ear shattering shriek echoed throughout the Autobot base, alerting the bots to Nexia's presence. They were on edge but were alerted that the Autobot medic wanted to run some tests on the winged female. Most of them tensed, shutting off their optics and fighting the urge to run to the Medical Bay in order to find out what had caused the scream.

The Phoenix girl was supposed to get her wing joint checked by Ratchet's holoform; a tricky business when she at first refused to set foot into the Medical Bay. The other Autobots remembered her story but the CMO just threw another miniature temper tantrum and managed to persuade her to cooperate. It has been several days after Ratchet had taken her casts off, enjoying the almost constant praises of happiness from the girl.

Muffled crashes and a couple of colorful curses in Cybertronian could be heard after the long high pitched shriek ended. The other Autobots still had to physically hold each other in their respective rooms in order to not interfere with the Hatchet's plan.

Nexia had been sitting on an extra berth in the Med bay, allowing the holoform to prod at her damaged appendage. Everything had been going excellent until Ratchet needed to obtain a blood sample - something that he thought was a good idea at the time. There was no way the medic could have known that the situation would have turned so catastrophic.

Ratchet had pulled out a rather large needle, not noticing how Nexia's eyes widened at the sight of it. She bit her lip, trying to block out the harsh laughter that was echoing throughout her mind. She blinked hard, trying to will the bad memories to cease their taunting but she was weak.

As he inched toward her carefully he slowly moved the needle towards her arm, intent on taking a blood sample. She tensed, however, and screamed, taking Ratchet by surprise as she started to squirm away.

"Get away from me! Don't touch me with that-that thing!!" she shouted, jumping away from the skilled medic's hand. She shook her head violently, trying to rid herself of Sector Seven nightmares. Simmons' cruel laughter echoed throughout her skull as she backed herself in the corner of the room. The winged girl clutched at her head, digging her nails into her head as she ground her teeth.

Confused, Ratchet watched as the winged girl's eyes locked onto the needle. The medic looked back and forth between his charge and the needle, finally making the connection. His optics widened as he threw the needle as far away from her as he could, turning back towards her as she started to shake. He noticed that she was almost hyperventilating - something that could lead to hysterics.

"Frag it all! Not now! Not when she's making so much progress!" the medic cursed, lunging for the almost hysterical girl as he hoped to calm her down. She avoided his outstretched hands, causing him to the side and crash into a rack of tools. He grit his teeth from the pain his holoform received. He couldn't wait, however, as the winged girl was making a mad dash for the Medical Bay's sliding doors.

He struggled uselessly before deactivating his holoform in a rush, catching the briefest glimpse of the hysterical winged girl before she disappeared out the door. He turned around and sighed, picking up the various human sized medical instruments. He knew that he couldn't catch up to her when she was in this state, instead deciding to contact Wheeljack and Hound.

_**Ratchet to Wheeljack and Hound **_Ratchet said, activating the link between their communicational units. The medic mentally berated himself as he awaited for the replies to his summons. He should have remembered that she was absolutely terrified of needles but with so much going on at the base it slipped his processor.

_**Wheeljack here, Ratch-man! Whatcha need? Did something happen between you and little Nexia?**_ the scientist responded cheerily. He knew that something was developing between the medic and the winged girl and he, for one, hoped that it would blossom into a full blown romance. Ratchet desperately needed to get over…his other love. It tore Ratchet to bit inside, the knowledge of what transpired…but he knew he shouldn't bring it up. At least not yet.

_**We have a few problems. Nexia went berserk. She escaped the med-bay and I believe that she went toward he residential units… It's my entire fault.**_ Ratchet replied sadly. The tired old mech picked up the cabinet that held his tools and righted them, making sure that nothing was damaged. He rubbed his tired optics; he had been up for countless hours making sure that Nexia's file had been completed. All of the humans had files in the battle-worn medic's database just in case they were injured.

_**Hound replying. What did you do, Ratchet? Has something happened in the Medical Bay?**_ The scout accused. He knew that the old medic wouldn't call him if he didn't need something or something had happened. Ratchet sighed in dismay, optics flickering slightly from sadness; they were not the normal bright blue that signified an Autobot…but more of a deep royal blue. The sigh did not go unnoticed by either of the other two mechs and they exchanged a private communication of worry.

_**I was going to draw some blood but I did not realize that she would react the way she did. Her eyes are dilated and she might be disoriented. She was hysterical when she exited so she might not respond well to a conversation instigator. **_the medic replied wearily. He made sure the Medical Bay was clean before he exited, intent on finding his charge.

_**I understand. I'll keep a watch for her. Hound out. Don't do anything else to upset her, please? **_Hound said, exiting the link.

_**Me too. I'll keep my optics open as well. Lets hope we find her before something drastic happens. Wheeljack out. **_the white scientist said, voice seeming to deflate. Ratchet shook his head and took off in search for his lost charge once again.

**

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_Two years she had been locked away in the padded white cell, a shock collar connected to the fatigued winged girl's skin. She was so very tired; her wings drooped to the side an didn't hold their previous glowing sheen._

_She was vulnerable to the scientists with their needles…the very ones who captured her after they offered to be her friend. A man named Simmons entered the room with a sadistic smirk on his face; a needle was glinting in his hand. She tried to move away - she really did - but she was too tired to even lift her head from the cold concrete corner she had been deposited in._

_"What more do you want of me?" Nexia asked, blinking tiredly. Her voice held no ill emotions, just despair and acceptance. She despaired for her life but she accepted the fact that she was going to be subjected to the experiments until she found a way to escape._

_"We want your secrets. Tell us!" the man named Simmons exclaimed, injecting the serum into her veins. It didn't work. The serum had no effect on her whatsoever. The one called Simmons became angry, slapping her face to the side. He gave the order and she was hefted up, tied to the metallic table in the other room where they would inject some sort of acidic mixture into her very veins. It would be painful…but she would heal. She always would._

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The winged girl growled at herself for being weak but soon stopped as memories of being poked and prodded with needles became too much as they assaulted her mind. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath, closing her eyes and letting a lone tear fall from her face. What a time for her not to be able to fly; Ratchet numbed the junction of her wing so that it would heal faster.

"Where can I hide? Where can I stay hidden?" she questioned softly to herself; it had been hours since she ran from the Medical Bay in terror. She was a sneaky little thing, creeping past Hound and Wheeljack several times and they never noticed a thing. Nexia finally spotted an air vent down the hallway. It was almost twice her size but still small enough that she could hide in; the Autobots, who were probably looking for her, wouldn't be able to fit inside.

"That will work pretty well." she commented to herself in relief; she could stop running and hide out in the air vent for a while. She rushed over, prying off the grate while keeping an ear and eye out for the medic with Satan's death needle. She shuddered; even thinking about that tiny piece of metal made her skin crawl.

As she made her way toward the bend she subconsciously touched the spot on her neck that had small circular scars adorning it. It was an ugly reminder that Sector Seven controlled her life at one point. She turned around as she heard a creak, nervously gulping as she saw a pair of white armored feet. She silently cursed to himself, backing away as far as she could before the vent shrunk to a size that she couldn't enter.

"Huh? What's this? Why is the grate off the vent?" questioned the unusual scientist as he kneeled down to look at the covering in question. He shook his head, seemingly thinking of something, and peered inside. He saw Nexia, who was huddled with her knees to her chest in the corner; he was unable to do anything as his hands were to large to fit inside.

"What are you doing in there, little one? You don't have to hide from me." the white mech asked, the twin fins on either side of his helm flashing. Nexia trembled, scooting back even further inside the vent. He bent down on one knee and stared sadly at the hunched figure of Nexia. He watched helplessly as the tears welled in her eyes; spark aching at the thought of her tears. She was so innocent.

Silent tears streaked down her face as the thought of being poked with another needle entered her mind. It brought up another memory as she slumped against the wall. She curled into a ball at the very back of the vent, curling her wings around her shaking frame the best she could.

**

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_She had been living on Earth for a long time, ragged clothes adorning her frame. The poor winged female had to resort to stealing clothing and food; she was hunted for being who she was. She was currently living in a small forest in Washington…and the coldness of winter was starting to seep in._

_She was beyond freezing; she had to wrap her wings around her body and raise her core temperature in order to keep her body functioning. Nexia had her head bowed, waiting for the end to come when she would run out of energy…and then she would die._

_Suddenly, a twig snapped behind her. She was beyond caring but turned her head to discern who it was that disturbed her. It turned out to be a human male - one who had a gun hidden in his jacket pocket. Nexia tensed, eyes narrowing as her feathers fluffed - warning the man that he was unwelcome._

_"Hey, now. No need to get angry. You can call me Agent Simmons." the man said, holding his hand out in peace. She didn't notice the smirk that was adorning his face and she was too innocent to recognize the evil gleam that was forming in his eyes._

_"Why are you here?" Nexia asked with disdain, mistrust in her eyes. The one called Simmons raised his hands in a non threatening gesture, then reaching out for her with one of them._

_"I'm here to offer you a chance to live. We provide you protection and all you have to do is complete some tests." he smirked, hand twitching in anticipation. The winged girl looked at him in surprise, not expecting his answer. She thought about his offer for a few minutes before sighing and taking his hand. How hard could a couple of tests be, anyway?_

**

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**

Wheeljack looked on as she was reliving her nightmarish memory, a sad hue in his bright baby blue optics. He shifted away somewhat and turned on his Communicational unit, calling the Autobot medic.

_**Wheeljack to Ratchet. **_he said, waiting patiently for the medic to respond. He snuck a glance back to the winged girl, spark twanging as he saw the shimmering tears on her cheeks.

_**Ratchet here, Wheeljack. Have you found her? Please tell me you found her. **_Ratchet asked desperately. He was slightly preoccupied with his thoughts; he was continuing to blame himself for his disappearance.

_**Affirmative, Ratchet. She's in the vent next to my lab…and she's not in the best condition. **_Wheeljack said, glancing back to the vent.

_**What do you mean?!**_ Ratchet asked, panicked. If something bad had happened to her in the base…especially near Wheeljack's lab…then he would never forgive himself.

_**Well…she's crying…and huddled up in the farthest reaches of the vent. I can't reach her.**_ he explained, waiting for the inevitable explosion from the Autobot's medic. That would not be the case, however, as Ratchet's answer shocked the white scientist.

_**Thanks 'Jack. I'll be there soon. Just…keep her there, alright? Ratchet out. **_the dejected medic replied. Moments later Ratchet was barreling down the hallway, skidding to a stop in front of the vents. He was disheveled and Wheeljack could see the dim of his optics.

Meanwhile, in the vent, Nexia heard hushed voices at the entrance to her hideaway, sensing Ratchet's dejected blue optics scanning her hunched form. She lifted her head, watching the medic wince as he saw her blotched face and bloodshot eyes. The winged girl bit her lips, knowing that she looked like a mess.

"Little one. I am so sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to forget but I just had so much on my processor." he said bowing his head, optics dimming even further in sadness. He didn't expect for her to forgive him but winced at the ferocity of her response.

"How could you forget in the first place!? I told you what Sector Seven did to me! They experimented on me! They injected me with human blood cells while I was strapped to a table. I was helpless! I was in agony every single second of my existence there and I wanted to die!" she exclaimed, fresh tears running down her cheeks.

Ratchet and Wheeljack winced at the sharp tone of her voice, both lowering their heads in shame. They retreated away from the vent and conversed a bit before deciding to bring out the big guns. Ratchet went to Wheeljack's lab while the inventor tried to convince Nexia to crawl out of the vent.

"Nexia…come on out. I'm sure that Ratchet meant no harm. We have something to give you and I think you'll enjoy it if you come out of that vent." Wheeljack said soothingly, poking a finger into the vent. It was frustrating since he couldn't very well shrink to her size in order to fit into the vent.

They couldn't risk their holoforms lest she burn them with her Phoenix Fire. Even though their holoforms were not technically real they were still solid and could still register pain. It could burn the skin of the holoforms but only caused a minor irritation to their metal armor.

"Why? So you can poke me with needles? I don't want to relive my memories over again." she asked, curling into an even tighter ball. Wheeljack visibly deflated, drawing back as Ratchet reappeared, holding a very small bundle of fur in his massive hand. Wheeljack activated his holoform, accepting the tiny ball into his own hand. Ratchet hoped to Primus that this idea would work…or he didn't know what else he could do except to beg for forgiveness.

"Go to her. We need her to come out…for her own safety." Wheeljack whispered, setting the sentient fluff ball on the ground, and watched as it poked its head in the vent. It mewled softly, walking up to Nexia's lap, and pawed at the material of her shorts. She jumped, still aware that both mechs were watching her. The kitten rubbed against Nexia's knees, causing her to chuckle softly.

"Hey there, little guy. What are you doing here?" she said softly, uncurling somewhat, and stroking the kitten's back. In the background Nexia could faintly hear Ratchet and Wheeljack congratulating each other. She chortled, deciding that she would give Ratchet a chance. She was about to get up when something attached to the kitten's collar caught her attention.

A small note could be seen attached to the collar of the kitten, barely seen against the kitten's charcoal fur. She sighed, calming enough to dry her tears. She took the note from the Kitten's collar and flexed her wings, the numbness of Ratchet's medicine finally wearing off, and arranging them in a more comfortable position.

"Please forgive me. I didn't mean to upset you so. I will admit that I am a slagging fragger at times but I didn't mean any harm." the note read, making her chuckle slightly. She sighed in defeat and shook her head, standing and scooping the kitten up in her arms.

She flexed her extremely stiff wings and crept toward the opening, peering through the opening towards the two large mechs. The action immediately alerted the two mechs as they kneeled in front of the vent, cautiously looking back at her. She cautiously stared up into their optics, trying to find any trace of a lie. Finding none she smiled at the two, causing their optics to brighten.

"Alright. I forgive you, Ratchet. I'm also sorry that I overreacted…the needle brought back some bad memories. Just…let me get used to the needle on my own time - especially if we will be testing often." Nexia said, apologizing. She cradled the kitten in her arms, giggling as the fluffy one licked her face. Ratchet's worried one relaxed when he saw her giggling; a small smile settling upon his faceplates.

"I'm glad you like the kitten because the little guy is for you. He is supposed to keep you company when you stay with Will and Sarah. He is sentient so he will understand what you tell him." Wheeljack said, bright blue optics crinkling with amusement. The girl's head snapped up to the mech, excitement evident in her eyes. A grin formed on her pale lips, exposing her pearly white teeth.

"Thanks, 'Jack! But…why? I don't deserve such a present as this." she questioned, looking up at the two mechs. Ratchet scooped the Phoenix into his large hands, careful so she wouldn't fall. The three made their way back toward the Autobot Medical Bay- the scientist conviently making her forget the question she had asked. Really, there was no need for her to ask such a question in the first place.

Ratchet set Nexia down upon the berth, going to retrieve the needle again. She steeled herself, closing her eyes as she imagined herself in a happy place.

"Its going to be alright. Ratchet wouldn't hurt me on purpose." Nexia told herself as she lightly stroked the black kitten's fur. Wheeljack watched, alert, for any signs of hysteria from either girl or cat…since he didn't really like the blasted needles either. Soon Ratchet returned and activated his holoform, quickly cleaning a spot on her arm, deftly inserting the needle into the spot, and drawing a certain amount of blood.

"OUCH!" she gasped, taken unawares. The kitten shrank back in her arms a bit, hissing at the offending medic. Soon, Ratchet had all the blood he needed and slid the needle from her arm, putting a sparkly bandage over the bloody little hole. Nexia laughed at the sparkling bandage, snickering as the Autobot medic only pointed to Wheeljack.

"What? I think they're pretty." the scientist defended himself, a blush rising on his cheek plates.

"Wait here while I scan the contents. It won't take very long." Ratchet chided, poking the girl in the forehead. She giggled, swatting at the holoforms hand playfully as he laughed softly. Wheeljack smiled happily; it was the first time in a long while he had seen his best friend act in this manner. Nexia sighed as Ratchet took the contents to his desk and put the kitten on the ground. She stood, flexing her wings, and walking over to the now silent inventor.

"Thanks for the kitten. He's really cute. His fur is especially soft." she said, looking up at the white scientist. The fins on either side of his head flushed a light pink as he looked down at the girl. You could tell he was smiling because of the way his optics crinkled in amusement.

"You're welcome, little one. What are you going to name him?" he asked, optics shining in delight. She shrugged as they both turned to watch the little fluff ball chase his tail. Suddenly, she had an idea; she turned back to Wheeljack with a sad smile on her face.

"I'll call him Asuma. After my papa. He had black hair and great obsidian wings. This little furry one reminds me of him." she said at last, closing her eyes in memory of her beloved father. Just as Wheeljack was about to reply Ratchet hurried back towards them.

"Nexia, do you have any other abilities besides your Phoenix Fire? I found a strange compound in your blood and when tested on damaged metal it restores it back to its original quality." he exclaimed, showing her the test results. Wheeljack and Ratchet looked on, excitement evident in their optics. She brought a finger up to her chin, deep in thought.

"Well…I can create illusions with my voice when I sing…and the Phoenix race studied the art of Alchemical Science…oh! We can also cry tears of healing and incorporate the element of fire into any weapon we wish!" she counted, ticking off her fingers as she counted.

Ratchet grinned at the discovery, clapping Wheeljack on the shoulder and turning back to the girl. This discovery would help the Autobots tremendously with their war against the Decepticons. She smiled, gathering the fluffy black kitten in her arms, and jumping onto the medic's outstretched hand.

"Close your eyes, little one. We've got a surprise for you." Ratchet said, watching her with a close optic, and gathering her in his hand. She complied, closing her eyes tight and grabbing onto his thumb for dear life. She could tell that they were hading toward the command center because of the muffled voices. Her lips twitched into a smile, happy that she had so many new friends.

"Welcome home, Nexia!" multiple voices shouted at her, causing the girl to squeak in surprise and pop her eyes open. All the Autobot mechs were there along with the humans; Sam and Mikaela were grinning broadly, laughing slightly when they saw the look on the winged girl's face.

Nexia looked around, too shocked to say anything. Eventually a small smile spread across her face as tears gathered in her eyes. They were different from before, however, as they were tears of joy instead of tears of distraught. Bumblebee stepped forward, missing the large glare Ratchet sent to the yellow scout as he gathered her bewildered body into his hands.

"What? What is this for?" Nexia asked, breaking out of her stupor. She looked up at Ratchet and Wheeljack, a questioning look in her silver irises. The white scientist's fins flashed happily as he explained the situation to her.

"This is our new home since Cybertron was destroyed. You lived on Cybertron so you can call Earth your new home, too. We are family." he said, optics crinkling with kindness. She looked around at the other mechs, finding nothing but kindness in their optics. She giggled slightly as Bumblebee crooned happily behind her.

"Yeah, Nex. You're home now. We're all family." Mikaela said, throwing a wink at the winged girl. Nexia smiled, looking around the room. Balloons and streamers covered every surface and she spotted a pile of brightly colored boxes in he corner. Wheeljack set her down next to the pile as Ratchet took Optimus to the side.

"Yes, Ratchet? What is it?" his leader asked him, a curious glint in his optics.

"Optimus, I finished running tests on Nexia's blood. I found something very fascinating. It would help the Autobots tremendously." he said, Optics brightening with each word.

"What did you find?" the big blue and red mech asked, becoming more interested by the minute.

"A healing factor. When applied to singed and broken armor it almost automatically heals. It is the same for the internal wiring structure." Ratchet explained, a smile on his face plates. Optimus' optics shone brightly with happiness as he turned to watch the young humans and Nexia.

"Then maybe Jazz has a chance. Maybe we can bring him back." Optimus murmured.

"Yes. Then we'd be comrades once again." Ratchet replied, content in watching his friends. A warm tingling feeling filled up his spark as he watched the winged girl converse with the humans. For once he was glad that he could hide his feelings from the others.


	6. Jazz and Flying High

**Authroess Note: Wow, more than twenty reviews! I'm so excited!!**

**dandyparakeet - Wow. Just Wow. When I read your review I was like 'HOLY CRAP!! You're psychic!!' Read below and find the answer to your question!**

**Elita One - Yeah, I didn't want her to be lonely so I gave her a kitten to look after.**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Plenty of fluffyness coming up, but you'll have to wait until the next chapter. Sorry!!**

**Enjoy!!**

**This chapter has been revised!!**

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**Chapter 5**

**Jazz and Flying High**

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"The party was a blast! I had so much fun." Nexia murmured to herself, smiling softly as the little black kitten curled up beside her. Sam was snoring loudly in another corner of the medical bay, chocking on his spit once and a while, and she and Mikaela shared one of the larger cots across the room.

The surprise welcome party lasted for hours and went on past midnight; it was so late that Optimus granted permission for them to stay. Sarah and Will had to leave and put little Annabelle to sleep before her babysitter tore the house to pieces from boredom.

"Mrow…murrf…" Asuma purred in his sleep from his position on her stomach. His ears twitched ever so often as he dreamt; he was probably dreaming of fish and crème - his favorite treat.

She chuckled as she lightly ran a hand over his smooth fur, causing him to jump and lift his head. His molten eyes stared at her as she picked him up and stood beside her cot. She secured her ninja sandals before standing, noticing a flash of silver light out of the corner of her eye. The winged girl finished dressing in something comfortable, to guard herself from the night's chill, and decided to investigate the shiny object.

Just as the object was within sight she realized it was the Japanese style sword Ironhide and Will gave her. Ironhide said it was made out of a special Cybertronian alloy, which made it much sharper than normal weapons and harder than diamond. She knew that the gruff old bot wanted her to be safe and that's why he created the weapon; it was specially made for her.

"Come Asuma. I'm not tired. Let us go for a stroll around the base." the Phoenix whispered, grabbing the ornate sword and attaching it to her back with a thick leather strap. As soon as she was finished with the straps she and Asuma headed for the door.

She glanced at the clock on her way out, noting that it read six in the morning. She flexed her wings, slightly aware of the dull throbbing on her injured one. Nexia sighed, hoping that they would heal soon enough. She slumped her shoulders, a little disappointed that she still would not be able to fly.

"Lets go, Asuma." Nexia whispered once she was done with her musings, watching as the energetic ball of fluff sauntered down the hall. She was about to follow the rambunctious little ball of fur but stopped, suddenly aware of a small force drawing on her subconscious. It was hesitant but also somewhat warm, lightly tugging her in another direction. She couldn't say no to it; it was like an instinct. The tugging was light but insistent, pleading with her to relieve its pain.

"Asuma. Lets go this way." she called softly, directing the kitten back to her and down the hallway the strange feeling came from. The further along she went the stronger the tug came and the better the feeling was. It was like the feeling got…happier the closer the Phoenix came to the source.

She picked up the kitten when the feeling became more insistent and started jogging down the hallway, guided by the strange presence in her subconscious. Finally, when she thought she could go no longer, she arrived in front of a door with Cybertronian markings on it. Her lungs felt like they were going to explode but a feeling of satisfaction welled within her being. Nexia set Asuma down, stepping up to the door to read the characters.

"Here lies Autobot Jazz, Warrior of Cybertron, former Second In Command, and dear friend." she read aloud, stepping forward solemnly as the door slid open to her touch. It was unusual - most of the doors were locked when the organics were around. It was mostly out of safety because something could fall on them…but whatever was in the room must be extremely important.

She gasped softly as she took sight of the room for the first time. It was bare except for a large berth; a small silver mech was laying on the berth…except for the fact that his upper body was severed - no…more like literally torn from his lower body. Attached to the mech were various tubes, which pumped some sort of clear fluid into his metallic body.

All of a sudden the tugging started again as she was pulled toward the table, easily climbing up upon the berth itself despite its tall stature. From there she took the time to study him, carefully tracing the mech's outline.

He was by far the shortest mech. He was shorter than most of the other mechs she had met, but that didn't mean that he had any less fight in his spark. Her eyes studied the tiny rips and tears in his beautiful silver armor, then studying the visor situated over his optics. Nexia swore that she saw a little spark of light flare up…but when she shook her head and looked again it was gone. It must have just been her imagination.

His fingers curved into what looked like claws and he had two little antennae protruding from his helmet. Actually…the winged girl found them to be rather cute. Finally, her eyes came to a rest on his abdomen, where the majority of his wound was. Wires frayed from the center and the armor looked like it had literally been ripped apart. It was melted in some places; the winged girl couldn't even imagine the pain he must have been in. She closed her eyes, letting a lone tear fall in mourning for the mech in front of her.

_**So, little birdie, can y' fix me? I'd kinda like t' be fixed. **_a deep voice reverberated throughout her mind. Nexia's eyes snapped open and up, opening wider when she was face to face with a whitish blue orb. It floated in an extremely large tank on another berth, which she did not notice upon arrival, not too far from the one she was on.

She looked upon it with awe, watching the way it pulsated slightly when it talked. Nexia shifted her wings, for once not feeling the dull ache that had been present for the past few days. She walked up to the tank, which the spark was floating in, and placed her hand upon the glass. She watched how the spark floated closer to the glass; she smiled noting how the spark grew brighter the happier it seemed to get.

"You are Autobot Jazz, are you not?" she asked quietly, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead against the tank. She focused her mind on one point, imagining what it would be like talking to him face to face.

She imaged a somewhat short, but definitely muscular, African American man wearing semi tight jeans and a white muscle shirt. Black converse were on his feet; silver and red custom designs were on the black backdrop material. His face was warm and pleasantly plump and his hair was in cornrows; his bright blue eyes sparkling with kindness. He had a gray arm warmer on one of his wrists - on it was the red Autobot symbol.

_**Yeah, I am. So, can y' fix me? **_Jazz's spark asked again, pulsating slightly in anticipation. Nexia sighed and opened her eyes, revealing the molten pools of her irises. She looked at the spark sadly as she bit her lip, racking her brain for an answer. All in all she didn't know if she had enough power to fix his extensive wounds.

"I don't know." she finally replied sadly, watching the light dim on the spark. A tear crept down her face as she watched the helpless orb float in its prison. She wished that it was back in its spark casing but she knew that she shouldn't wish what couldn't be done. Nexia looked up in determination, vowing that she would find a way to heal his tortured soul.

"I don't know…but…that doesn't mean that I can't try." she said firmly as the orb brightened once again. It shined in happiness as loud footsteps echoed down the hall from where she was.

Soon the door swished open, revealing the bulking mass of the Autobot leader. He stopped for a moment when his optics landed on Nexia, but continued when he saw she was watching him. Eventually he stood next to her, optics sparkling with interest and curiosity.

"Hello Optimus." Nexia said, settling down next to Jazz's tank. Optimus also sat, pulling one of the transformers sized chairs next to the berth. They sat in silence for a moment; Optimus was gathering his words together to not offend the little one sitting next to him.

"Hello little one. I see you have found Jazz. We hope to have him fixed soon as he is getting a little antsy." he states, waving a massive hand in Jazz's direction. The spark glowed, happy that he was being included in on the conversation. She turned and smiled slightly at the little dance he was doing inside the tank.

"Yes, I have. He asked me if I could fix him. Not to be offensive but I didn't think he would be able to talk…since he is just a spark…" she said, still looking at the spark. She rested her chin on her knees as Optimus' optics widened in shock.

"He spoke to you? And you understood him? What did you say?" the Autobot leader ground out through his shock. Nexia lifted her head to look at the great mech, sighing and shaking her head. Her sadness still glowed through her molten irises as she recounted the brief conversation in her mind.

"I told him the truth - I didn't know. To fix him I need my spark, wherever it is, and I need to know how he got to be so…gruesome. Even then I don't know if I can fully reattach his spark to his body." she said, shaking her head sadly. Optimus thought about the dilemma for a while before his optics brightened with realization.

"I think I may be able to help with that. I have your spark with me." he said, smiling with tenderness. Nexia gasped with delight as he pulled a necklace, a familiar one at that, out of his subspace pocket.

She looked long and hard at the tiny pendant before taking it from the large mech's grasp. She smiled gently as she clipped the clasp behind her neck, relishing the feeling as most of her energy was returned to her body. The spark set to work mending her shoulder as her face settled into a content smile. Nexia flexed her wings, squealing in delight when there was no pain.

"Now for the history. You know about the Allspark, little one?" Optimus questioned as he settled down once again. He watched as the winged girl settled back against Jazz's tube, giggling when his spark floated just above her shoulder.

"Yes…but I am unaware of how exactly it was destroyed. I know of Mission City but not to the fullest extent." Nexia commented, flexing her wings slightly. Jazz's spark dimmed as he made a noise of disapproval - a sure sign that something horrible had happened to Jazz at Mission City.

"Well…It all began when the Allspark came to Earth. We, of course, followed it…but so did the Decepticons. Sam had in his possession a pair of his grandfather's glasses with the location of the cube. For his protection we sent Bumblebee to be his guardian until the others, including Jazz, came to the planet." he explained, waiting for the girl to absorb the information. After a few seconds she nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"Eventually the search for the cube led to a major battle, in Mission City. The battle was long and grueling, costing thousands of human lives. A small squad of humans, led by William Lennox, decided to help Sam hide the cube. It was already too late." The great commander said, voice grave. He bowed his head as if in prayer, optics shuttering closed.

"Megatron had been reawakened from his icy sleep and both the cube and mankind were in danger." He finished, watching the girl's face contort into utter fear. Asuma walked over, cautious of the giant mech, and nuzzled Nexia's hand with a small meow. The winged girl jumped slightly, turning to the small kitten to give him the attention he wanted.

"Jazz, being the fierce warrior that he is, attacked Megatron head on. Since Jazz's body is so small Megatron could easily pick him up. The evil one literally tore Jazz's body in half but we managed to save his spark. He now lives in the tank until we can find a way to seal his spark back inside his body." he finished. Nexia bowed her head in silence as she thought. It was possible for her to heal the depressed warrior…all she had to do was find the way.

"Optimus, I don't think I can heal him now, but once my energy is back to normal I can try to fix him. In the meantime…may I go for a small flight? It helps to clear my thoughts and I might find a way to help Jazz faster." she asked the Autobot leader, looking up with wide eyes. Her lower lip started trembling slightly as well; the sight broke down all the resolve Optimus had built toward the girl.

"Alright. Take Ironhide with you. I don't want you getting hurt." he finally said, optics flickering in amusement as she pumped a fist into the air. She flapped her wings once and took off with Asuma in her arms. The poor little cat let out a mrow of fright, clawing into the winged girl's clothing to keep from falling.

As she flew she placed her spark underneath her shirt, quickly making her way toward the medical bay to change clothing. The feeling of being extremely dirty was high since she didn't change clothes that morning. She changed into a pair of tight black shorts and a light blue tank top, not bothering to change her shoes. She slipped quietly out of the room, walking down the hall to meet the weapon specialist.

"Hey." 'Hide's gruff voice sounded from behind her. She turned sharply to catch the black mech saunter up to her, cocky grin settled upon his faceplates. She grinned, unfurling her wings and taking off in the air. She giggled at the astonished look upon his faceplates, diving down and scooping up her little kitten. The black mech grumbled something as she flew before him – it was something like 'what a waste of time' but she knew that he didn't mind.

"We're going to the Lennox Ranch so I can show Asuma his new home!" she called, floating toward the door. Ironhide just shook his head and transformed, taking off after the almost hyper teen. His spark warmed at the sight of her wearing the Katana he and Will made for her. At least she would be protected if they were somehow separated.

Ironhide had come to love her like a niece and he would be the trigger happy uncle, always showing off his guns – or cannons in the great black mech's case. Once they were outside Nexia landed on Ironhide's bed, wanting to save her energy for flying out around the wilderness. It took about only ten minutes to get to Will's house, where Sarah was outside waiting for them.

"Optimus called and said that you were bringing a friend. He's adorable." Sarah said helping Nexia pull out all the necessary equipment Asuma would need if he was going to stay indoors. Asuma meowed in response, pawing at Sarah's shoes, and then bounding up the stairs to the screen door.

"You should be quiet. I've just gotten Annabelle to take her nap. She was extremely fussy today." the older woman whispered, opening the door for the kitten with a slight laugh. She turned to Nexia, a warm smile upon her face.

"It is a beautiful day. Go and fly. Don't worry, I don't need you here just yet." she said, shooing the teen back towards the dirty black Topkick. Nexia grinned but instead of climbing back into his bed she unfurled her great crimson wings, lifting into the air with excitement. She flew past Ironhide, who was tearing after her, and rode the air currents far into the sky.

A small beep was heard as she flew through some clouds, startling her out of her happy daze. She looked around for the little beeping object and finally noticed a small blinking dot on the hilt of her sword.

She laughed at herself as she remembered the locator Will had told her about. Apparently Wheeljack had installed a location ship in her sword that all of he Autobots could track if they knew the right code. The black Topkick must have activated it when he lost sight of her within the clouds.

Nexia laughed with glee, enjoying he wind gliding through the crimson feathers on her wings. The wind on Earth was much cleaner than on her former home of Cybertron. It didn't clog up her feathers, like back home, so she didn't need to land – well…except for when she was tired. Her chin length hair ruffled in the wind, flying every which way as the wind changed directions. Eventually she tired out and spotted a nice clearing that she could land in.

She supposed Ironhide would come to collect her once he realized that her tracker had stopped moving on his locator. The sun felt so good on her skin that she decided to lay back, closing her eyes against the harsh sun glaring in her eyes. Oh…how the sun's warm glow felt so good on her exposed skin. She sighed, content to just lay in the clearing for the time being. The rippling of the small pond in the background lulled her gently to sleep.

Sometime later, a little after noon, the winged teen woke, stretching out all the kinks in her neck, back, and wings. She looked around, expecting to see the hulking black mech somewhere, but was surprised to see that she was alone. She stood, brushing off the excess dirt from her back and clothes. She brought her hands up, rubbing the 'sleep dust' from her eyes in an attempt to see more clearly.

Suddenly, Nexia heard a twig snap somewhere behind her. She turned, flexing her wings to keep her balance, and came face to face with a snarling wolf, its pack behind him. She screamed, quickly pulling her katana free from its scabbard in hopes of some sort of defense. The sword was heavy in her hands; it was a bad thing that would slow her down in the long run.

"Ironhide! Help me!" she screeched, jumping to the side as the alpha male jumped at her. She put the sword defensively in front of her, hoping to provide some sort of defense from the hunters. The sword brought her hands down and pulled at her muscles as they quivered; never once had she fought a pack of wolves before.

"Ah!" she gasped as another wolf knocked her down from behind. The katana was knocked from her grasp as she struggled to regain her footing. Nexia swore to herself, glancing back and forth between the katana and her foe. She decided that the katana wasn't her best line of defense and chose another course of action. Her hand grew warm as she activated her Phoenix Flame, throwing the ball of fire at the wolves rushing for her.

They scattered but the alpha continued charging, leaping upon her shoulder and bit down. His teeth sank into her flesh, ripping out little chunks of skin and spraying the wolf's face with blood. She cried out in pain, but knocked the wolf off, trying to rise into the air with a strong flap of her wings. She dove, snatching the katana, and settled into a tree.

The wolves tried to scramble up it but froze when they heard a great chain of crashes. Nexia looked to where the sound was coming form, wincing when the sting of her wound intensified. She grasped it, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

Soon, the hulking form of 'hide came thundering through the trees. He transformed into his mech mode, charging his photon cannons. He leapt toward Nexia's tree, making he wolves scatter as his frame towered above them.

"Ironhide. You came for me." Nexia breathed, sheathing her katana and taking towards the air. She hovered in front of the weapon specialist's face as he scanned her for injuries. The blood obviously made itself known as it traveled down her shoulder in little rivulets, dropping to the ground below.

"You are injured. We must take you to Ratchet." he suddenly stated, staring directly at her wounded shoulder. She nodded as she drifted to the ground. Ironhide transformed again as she climbed into the bed, he swore to himself in Cybertronian as he raced back towards he base. It seemed like no time at all once they reached the great fortress. Nexia had bled a small puddle in his bed and stumbled a little once she hopped off.

_**Ratchet, prepare the Medical Bay for Nex.**_ Ironhide opened a communications channel with Ratchet, not bothering to identify himself as he transformed.

_**Ironhide? What? Why? What's wrong with Nex?! What did you do?!**_ Ratchet's frantic and confused voice replied.

_**Don't ask questions, just do it! She's injured and bleeding all over the place.**_ Ironhide ordered as he skidded to a stop in front of the medical bay.

Ratchet hurriedly opened the doors, ushering the huge mech and wounded girl into the room. The battle hardened medic spent no time in stitching up the tiny gashes on her shoulder, staunching the flow of blood. She smiled shyly at the medic before heading toward the door, where Optimus was most likely waiting.

**

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**

Optimus' great hulking form kneeled down and waited for Nexia to climb into his hand. He rose and waited for her to start speaking, a gentle and patient look in his optics.

"Before you say anything I was the one who flew off. It was my entire fault so please don't blame Ironhide." she said, looking directly into his optics. He looked back at her, a little shocked at what she said. She was extremely passionate, not to mention stubborn, and her eyes were glazed over with unshed tears.

The Autobot leader could tell that she was telling the truth. She bit her lip, molten irises literally begging Optimus to believe her and not punish Ironhide.

"I will not punish Ironhide but you are lucky. Even though your spark was unharmed you could have died from blood loss. Remember that you are still weak little one." he finally said sadly, handing her over to Bumblebee. He crooned questioningly, bright blue optics asking her if she was hurt.

The shock soon settled in with Optimus' words, sending her into her own little world. Soon she was trembling and tears were starting to slip silently from her eyes. Bee's optics widened slightly as he lifted her to his spark, crooning comfortingly to her.

"I'm fine, Bee. I was just a little shocked. I was so intent on flying that I didn't realize the dangers of this world still affected me." She whispered as she buried her face even deeper in his chassis.

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Ratchet watched as Nexia left the room and then whirled on Ironhide, optics flashing, and threw one of his handy wrenches at the black mech's head. His eyes nearly flashed white as his anger grew, stepping closer and closer to the Weapons Specialist.

"What happened?! Where were you when she was attacked?!" the Autobot medic roared, making the battle hardened Weapon Specialist flinch slightly. Ironhide stood his ground and stared Ratchet in the optics. He set his jaw, preparing his explanation so the medic wouldn't dismantle him.

"She went for a flight - don't ask me how. All I know is that her wings are fully healed. She landed in a small clearing and went to sleep. When she woke she was attacked by wolves. I saved her as fast as I could." 'hide responded gruffly, turning toward his Commanding Officer when he arrived.

Optimus stayed silent, observing the situation with clarity. When Ironhide opened his mouth to speak Optimus raised his great hand, effectively cutting him off. The black mech held much respect for the tall blue and red mech standing in front of him, bowing his head in shame.

"I am aware of what happened, old friend. Nexia has explained. It was an accident so there is no need for punishment." Optimus said, sneaking a glance at Ratchet. The medic calmed somewhat and started toward the doors that Nexia went out of.

He stopped short as he opened the door, optics narrowing with jealousy when he saw that Bumblebee, of all mechs, was comforting the crying form of his beloved. Wait…where had that come from? Ironhide and Optimus shared knowing looks before excusing themselves out of the side door, leaving Ratchet in his jealous stupor.


	7. The Realizations

**Wow, I got more than 25 reviews! Thank you so much! I still want more so I can have some creative criticism. Please comment with your ideas and maybe i'll incorporate it with my plans.**

**Please send more reviews or I'll be even later with the updates. Updates give me motivation to write!**

**Thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon : Jazz will be in a few future chapters just to give you a heads up!**

**Elita One : I was thinking the father/daughter would be with Optimus and Bee would be the older brother. Ironhide is the uncle but read the chapter and find out exactly how Ratchet feels.**

**Thanks to these two people who reviewed! This chapter has been revised!**

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**Chapter 6**

**The Realization**

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It has been a few days since Ratchet had to patch up Nexia's shoulder and it is healing teeth marks hit a minor vein so that is why all the blood had been lost. He had wrapped a nice bandage around her shoulder and told her not to do any extensive lifting for a while, though he wasn't sure that she would listen to him. She seemed to be slightly defiant and spending more and more time at the Base. The Lennoxes didn't seem to mind – she stayed there every other weekend so it was like her second home.

He sighed, putting his metallic forehead in his hands, and tried to block out all the sounds that surrounded him. The medic had been slowly slipping away into insanity trying to get the image of the magical winged girl out of his processor; it was impossible since she had made friends with everyone in the base - no mech could imagine life without her bright smile.

He can't help but enjoy her company. The silence was a comfortable one since they were both people who loved silence. Sure, they enjoyed a good conversation, but sometimes a person needs to learn to be quiet in order to fully enjoy the wonders around them. He, however, didn't notice the small subtle sidelong looks that she would send him every so often; a blush would usually form across her pale features when she was caught.

He enjoyed the soft lullaby of her voice, softly caressing his audio receptors and making his spark quiver with longing to hear every word she speaks. She was one of the only humanoid-like people that actually understood his ramblings on random subjects, interjecting her own thoughts about certain subjects. He savored her opinions; they were actually useful and un-childlike.

The weary old medic couldn't help but stare at her enchanting wings, watching the strong muscles stretch and retract whenever she adjusted them. the They created a sort of serenity around her - a calming peacefulness if you would. The gorgeous and vibrant color glistening whenever the light from the Medical Bay hit them just right made him want to stare at her for the rest of eternity.

Ratchet knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help but watch as every strand of her hair blew in the wind or the air from his air conditioner, gently flowing in the small breeze across her face. He continued the staring as she brushed the tiny strands out of her face and behind her ear, making her look like a cute little child.

He stared at the way her molten pools, which she called her eyes, shone in the light and the infectious smiles that always adorned her face. The way her attitude reminded him of someone so long ago that was not around to comfort him the way she did before. He used to think of his old friend every day…but now his processor was overridden with thoughts of Nexia.

Ratchet shook his head sharply, cursing for thinking of the one thing that ached his spark; the memory was sending small shocks of dull pain through his body until he could bear it no longer. He stood, searching for a way to block the happy yet painful memories that were flooding his processors, not wanting to relive the horrifying moments in his previously happy life.

He stood, looking through the extensive medical library and finally took out his set of medical dictionaries on human data, hoping to get his mind off the Phoenix. He got about halfway through his data on molecular biology before his processor wandered back to the winged girl whom made him smile like an idiot. How his spark clenched every time she looked at him and how she always seemed to catch his optics. How he wanted to spend every waking moment with her, just to enjoy the sight of her.

He sighed in disdain. He knew that either way he was in quite a fix; he was unsure of the winged girl's feelings for him and was unconvinced that he deserved to be in a stable relationship.

Was he out of his processor? Why did this one particular girl remind him of his former crush, Moonracer? Her somewhat shy personality with some spunky moments buried underneath was an almost exact replica of the assistant medic. Her small smile barely containing the excitement hidden deep so one would have to wonder: what is she smiling at? Or more importantly: Who is she smiling at?

Ratchet's bright blue optics activated, unaware that he had shut them off, and he admitted that he had grown extremely fond of the little femme. He also had to admit that the loss of his best friend had dulled slightly in his spark when the new object of his affections was in the room. He sighed and stood, replacing the holo-texts on his bookshelf and running a hand down his faceplates in an attempt to knock him to his senses.

Could he have fallen for another so quickly after the loss of the one he cared so deeply for before? Could it be possible that she cared for him as well? Although they were not bonded and she did not know his feelings for her he still would have given his life for her. He supposed over time his feelings have faded, only to be reawakened by the little femme who was with them.

"Who am I kidding? I have a serious crush on her." he murmured quietly to himself, using human terms. He had given up denying the fact and was confused on how to act. He had never had a serious relationship before but his spark cried out for intimacy.

"I'm in deep crap." he said, smacking himself on the forehead. He continued his use of human terms as Optimus had them scan the World Wide Web. It was useful to talk like humans if they were ever in need of their services.

He finally realized that when Ironhide called over his communication system he was terribly worried about her. He was also extremely jealous over Bumblebee when he began comforting his Nexia. Wait a minute…when had he started referring to Nex as **'his'**? Oh, he had it bad for her.

"She's so perfect…and I'm not. I don't deserve her. " he stated miserably, cursing himself for even thinking he been stood a chance. Why would someone as pure as Nexia want to be so emotionally attached to a medic who has seen so many horrors in his life?

"You don't deserve who?" a melodious voice questioned from behind him. The medic's optics darkened and he flinched, swirling around. He was ready to draw his saw out of subspace if anyone were to attack. He stood there for a few minutes, form poised, before he sensed there was no actual threat. His stance relaxed once the mech realized it was only Nexia but his faceplates warmed slightly once he gained his composure.

She giggled a little bit once she saw how he was embarrassed, causing him to sheepishly grin. Ratchet was incredibly happy that he changed his structure so that his facial plates couldn't change color. He looked at her and took in every feature that was possible.

Her cheeks gained so much color since they rescued her from her doomed fate. Her lips were curled into a small smile and her eyes were twinkling. Her skin was pale, much like a porcelain doll and her wings had returned to a healthy vermillion color. They were strong enough to hold her in the air for several hours and with a little more training she could last for days at a time.

"Oh, nothing. I was just mumbling to myself." he responded, hoping that she hadn't heard the whole conversation he was having with himself. She looked at him with a skeptical look but decided to drop the subject. The medic's business was his own, after all. She stretched her wings and flew up towards the top of his shelf, noticing how some of the data texts were out of order and his medical tools were out of alignment. That wasn't natural for the Autobot medic was extremely organized.

"Hey, Ratch?" she asked, turning back toward him while floating in mid-air. He turned towards her in his chair, sending a questioning look in her direction. He noticed she had her hair up in a tiny ponytail, her bangs hanging down in front of her eyes. A new look but it still made her extremely beautiful.

"Yes, Nex? What can I do for you?" he asked, using the nickname she gave everyone. She beamed at him, the shine in her eyes making him grin. His grin made her smile wider in return. It was contagious.

"Want me to help you clean up? It's incredibly messy in here." she asked, indicating at the mess surrounding her. He looked around also, lowering his head in embarrassment, and then looked up again, nodding. She smiled again, showing her white teeth, and settled down beside the giant tools. Nexia narrowed her eyes, determined to help the Autobot medic clean his Medical Bay office.

One by one she hefted them up as best she could, setting them down again in a proper order, strait as she could manage. She grabbed a rag from a nearby table and began spit-shining them, shining them up until they looked good as new. All it really took was a little bit of elbow grease.

Ratchet decided that it would be unfair to let her do all the work so he came up behind her, showing her the proper way to shine the tools without getting hurt. When they were done he went about showing her where to store them. Next, they tackled his shelf with the data pads inside his office, on the other side of the bay. His stack of data had to be brought from the desk in the bay itself and needed to be stored in its proper area.

Nexia giggled when Ratchet blew upon the many dusty volumes, the dust scattering around in the air. She sneezed, much to the amusement of the medic, and floated down toward the pile on his desk. More dust caught in her throat, clogging it up as she started to cough. Ratchet strode over quickly, tapping his finger on her back in order to help clear her throat.

"Are you alright?" he asked, feeling a little guilty since it was he who blew on the data pads in the first place. She nodded, changing the subject to one not as awkward.

"Do you miss doing your job?" she asked, indicating toward the open area of the Medical Bay. Since the Decepticon leader had been killed the remaining ones had scattered across the galaxy, much to the relief of the Autobots. Ratchet thought for a moment as he gathered up some of the reports on his desk, filing them away in the proper storage bin.

"I was created to be a medic and it is a job I love above all else. I am suited for it and I still fix Ironhide, Bumblebee, Optimus, Hound, Wheeljack, and myself when need be. Although the need has not arisen for such a while I am somewhat glad for the opportunity to be given a break. Besides, I get to spend some time with you." he said, feeling the heat rise in his cheek plates again. He hoped that she would not notice and was relieved when she turned away.

He didn't notice the fact that she turned away because she was blushing. She was glad that she was facing the opposite direction than he was or he would notice something was wrong with her. All was in vain because he started scanning her figure.

"Nex, are you alright? Your core temperature is now at 113 degrees. That is a dangerous level considering the normal humanoid temperature is around 98 degrees." Ratchet's worried voice cut through her thoughts like a butter knife. She turned, a small sprinkle of blush still on her face as she looked into his worried optics.

"Oh, I'm fine. Since my main element is fire my core body temperature is fairly high. Much higher than the normal core temperature than humans." she explained to an eager medic. Since Nexia was the only Phoenix left from the Golden Age of Cybertron he was ecstatic to learn anything about her. He stored that little bit of information deep within his processor as he smiled, nodding his thanks to her as they continued with their work.

They continued working for a few hours before they got tired, looking around the room to find if anything else was out of order. Once they were satisfied they decided to take a break, going back into the main part of the Medical Bay with the surgical berths. Nexia knew that Ratchet had not forgotten the little conversation he had with himself beforehand and she was determined to get the information she wanted. She just needed to subtly inquire about it.

"Who? Who do you not deserve?" Nexia asked again as she settled down upon his shoulder, smiling impishly. He didn't notice the sparkling twinkle in her eye. She sat down upon the edge of his shoulder, swinging her legs over the side, and looking down at his faceplates expectantly.

He sighed, knowing that she was stubborn, like Moonracer, and was going to drag the answer out of him one way or another. Ratchet decided to get it over with and mentally prepared his answer. He smiled sadly down at her as he sat back down in his overly large chair, and repositioned himself.

"I was just thinking about the past. My best friend, actually. You remind me so much of her." he said while shutting of his optics; he saw Moonracer's face in the darkness of his processor.

He activated his projector, a little disk on the side of his helm, concentrating on the image of his former crush. Nexia smiled wider as the image became apparent and he opened his optics again. Her eyes softened as she saw the miserable, or at least she thought it was miserable, look on the medic's face.

"What was her name?" the winged girl whispered gently, staring at the beautiful image of the femme. Nexia knew this was an extremely hard topic for Ratchet to talk about but she thought that the medic would feel better after he talked about it.

"Her name was…Moonracer." Ratchet replied in an equally quiet voice. The image thickened so that it stood three dimensional and about as tall as the winged girl looking upon it.

Nexia took the time that they were silent to examine the holograph's features. The femme was a beautiful shade of mint green, with metallic silver sparkles, and darker green highlights that ran down her arms and legs, wrapping around her torso as well.

Her optics were the familiar electric blue of the Autobots and a small, loving smile shone upon her faceplates. Her faceplates were a metallic silver and her appendages, like her hands and feet, were a deep blue.

"She's beautiful." Nexia commented, smiling up at the medic. He smiled back but she could tell that it masked some hidden pain. She looked down, biting her lip as Ratchet deactivated the image slowly - as if to keep the image in his processor forever.

They sat like that for a while, the comfortable silence drifting through the air. Soon, Nexia began to get antsy, the same question running through her mind. She finally gave up guessing and decided to ask the medic himself. It pained her so she had to know.

"Did you love her, Ratchet?" she questioned softly, looking like she was ready to start crying. He started in surprise, touched that she would care so much about a problem, let alone one that was his. He thought for a while before shaking his head no, optics softening when they landed on the winged girl.

"I did not love her, but I did for her deeply. If I had known her longer, maybe, but it was nowhere near the extreme of love." he responded, realizing that he, in fact, did not love Moonracer. He only thought he did because he wanted to find someone who would love him for who he was instead of for who he knew.

"How did she die? Or is it too painful for me to ask?" the winged girl asked, biting her lip. She knew that she was striding into unknown territory. She didn't know how to comfort someone who was in this kind of emotional turmoil. Ratchet thought back several thousand years ago, long before the Autobots lost the Allspark in space.

Ratchet clenched his jaw slightly, his spark aching at the inevitable question. He knew that she would ask eventually but it still hurt his spark to think about it. The Autobot medic thought back to the tragic day when his best friend died.

**

* * *

**

"_Ratchet! We have to go deeper. They'll have a better chance at surviving if we get to them before they come to the Medical Tent!" the mint green femme said, sparkling blue optics pleading with the older and more experienced medic. _

"_No! We can't risk it. If we die then who will fix the injured mechs and femmes?!" the bright yellow mech exclaimed back, clenching his fists in irritation. He knew that the femme was right but he just didn't want to risk her safety._

"_You know I'm right, Ratchet! If you won't come with me then I'm going alone!" Moonracer shouted as she shouldered a small blaster, running through the carnage of already deceased Autobots and Decepticons. The older medic didn't have time to say anything so he followed her, activating his saw from subspace._

"_Moon! Wait!!" he shouted, eventually catching up with her. She smiled as she saw that he had followed her, turning back to the bloody mass of metallic bodies. They saw the first line of struggling and wounded bodies, racing and dodging energy blasts as they tried to reach the wounded._

_They were almost there, Moonracer being just ahead of Ratchet since she was smaller and lighter, but suddenly there was a searing pain in his lower abdomen. It spread down his thigh, finally stopping at his knee. The wounded medic collapsed to the ground, screaming from the pain coursing through his systems. Moonracer skidded to a stop, turning around frantically at the sound of the wounded medic._

"_MOONRACER!!" he cried out, trying to scramble to her side. The pain made him dizzy but he knew that she was gone. The blast went straight through her spark chamber and she was dead before she hit the ground. The last thought that he had before he slipped into unconsciousness was that his best friend was dead._

**

* * *

**

"It was any other day during the war. The Decepticons invaded a city on Cybertron and we were supposed to be field medics, helping out Optimus' crew bring in the wounded. It was like every other battle but deep down inside I knew something was going to go wrong." he started out.

Nexia knew she shouldn't be so interested in a story such as this but it captured her interest. Her heart reached out to him because she knew what it felt like to loose someone she cared about. She knew that he was devastated when his best friend died, just like when she woke on Earth and knew that she was the last Phoenix alive.

"Moonracer insisted that we venture deeper within the battle, knowing that most of the soldiers had very high recovery rates if we got to them before they came to the medical tent. I didn't want her to get injured so, naturally, I agreed to go with her and, against Optimus' orders we went into the middle of the battle. We were almost to the first of the injured soldiers before I heard a blast and felt a white hot pain shoot through my lower torso." he said, indicating toward the very, very, light yellow-sliver scar running across the lower portion of his abdomen, down one of his legs, and stopping at his knee.

Nexia gasped, a twinge of pain searing her own soul knowing that he went through such pain. He must have been through hell recovering from such trauma. He probably didn't have anyone to talk to about it since they were still in the middle of the war.

"I fell, unable to run to Moonracer's aid, and she was hit by an energy blast. She was hit strait through the spark chamber and I knew. I knew that she was dead as soon as she hit the ground. I don't remember much afterwards but when I awoke it was a full week later." he said, using Earth terminology of time as it had become a sort of habit.

**

* * *

**

_Ratchet woke from stasis a week later in one of the many Autobot hospitals. His optics activated slowly as he remembered that his best friend was dead._

"_So you're awake." Optimus' deep voice echoed throughout the room. Ratchet looked over to his Commanding Officer, optics dimming in depression. The great blue and red mech sighed, walking over to the bright yellow mech's side. Ratchet's paint was scratched and smeared with Energon, causing him to gag when he looked down at himself._

"_I'm sorry." Optimus said, sadly shaking his head. He sat down in a chair next to the medic's resting berth, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder._

"_No. I'm the one who should be sorry." Ratchet said, optics flickering. It should be him who was dead. He should have protected Moonracer better. If only he hadn't gotten hit… he could've pushed her out of the way._

"_You did what you had to do. It wasn't your fault and Moonracer would have wanted you to know that." Optimus softly said._

"_I know…can I see her body?" Ratchet brokenly asked, raising his head to meet Optimus' optics._

"_I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this…but the Decepticons took her body." that single sentence echoed throughout Ratchet's mind for the rest of the day, staying in the crevices of his mind until exhaustion overtook him._

**

* * *

**

Nexia grimaced, picturing the extremely sad image in her mind. She stood, spreading her wings, and floating down in front of Ratchet's head. On a spur of the moment idea she bent down and kissed his cheek, feeling the heat already rush to her cheeks. They were probably turning an interesting shade of red right about now.

She squeaked as the medic looked at her, stunned, before she flew off at top speed. As he stared at her retreating back, with the vibrant view of her wings, a small smile formed on his faceplates. Maybe there was hope for him after all?

Nexia shook her head as she exited the medical bay as fast as she could. Why in the world did she do that? He just looked so sad that she wanted to express her feelings and tell him that everything was alright.

She could admit that she was fond of the medic and the way he scolded everyone made her laugh. She wanted to spend every waking moment with the mech and she could tell that he was fond of her as well. Did that mean he liked her? No, that would be impossible.

"I don't deserve him." she said, shaking her head as if ridding herself of a bad idea. She wanted to know what these feelings she had were. Every time she saw him her life brightened and she wanted to talk to him about anything and everything under the sun. Whenever he asked her a question she eagerly replied, wanting to supply him with as much information as she could think of.

Was she starting to love him?


	8. Jazz Revived! She did it!

Hey, guys! This chapter has been revised! The song belongs to me as I wrote it. XD Vote for my new Transformers poll!

Stesuna the Dragon - Yeah, but there will be a surprise for Ratchet later on in the story! Hint Hint.

Elita One - A peck and so much more to come!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Jazz Revived!! She did it!!**

* * *

Nexia flew through the air and down the hallways of the Autobot base, completely lost in her personal thoughts. She didn't need to watch where she was going as the familiar pull of Jazz's spark guided her way. It was an abandoned corridor so she needn't worry about running into any other mechs.

She flew lower to the ground, twisting through the legs of a surprised Hound, and found herself in front of the immobile saboteur's lodgings. She looked back, equally surprised, for Hound usually didn't travel down this pathway. Maybe he was on a mission for Optimus? Nexia shook her head, dismissing the thought and was unaware that Hound had come up behind her. He was silent so she didn't hear him slip into the room with her.

The forest green Autobot sent a pointed look at Jazz's spark, smiling softly as his gaze went back to the winged girl. He had no romantic interests, mind you, and he thought of her as a baby cousin. He only had thoughts of her safety and welfare in mind as he silently watched her from the darkened corner he was hidden in.

She smiled softly, happy that she was going to spend some time with the small silver bot. She was sure that he wanted someone to talk to about 'human things' instead of the other Autobots, since they were, of course, aliens. Jazz was probably lonely sitting in the tank and having no form of entertainment. She was the only one he could communicate with so that scratched talking off the list of amusement.

Nexia was sure that he wanted some things, like music, because his spark wasn't attached to his body. She remembered Wheeljack telling her that the silver mech loved to listen to music. The winged girl felt somewhat sorry for the saboteur, having to float in that small jar instead of walking about like the others. If only there was a way she could heal his body…then she could figure out a way to reattach his spark to his body.

Jazz's spark instantly brightened when he sensed another presence in the room, brightening even more when he realized it was Nexia. He enjoyed their conversations immensely and it brightened his dark and bleary days. She had started going to see Jazz several times a week – sometimes twice a day - since she discovered his room, seeking words of wisdom and just hanging out. Sometimes they would just goof off and other times it was more serious.

Today she needed to see him badly; wanting to talk to him about the kiss she gave Ratchet. True, it was only a peck, but it seemed so much more to her. She needed to talk to someone about her feelings; she would then get a second opinion from Mikaela, since she was also a girl. Girls needed to band together in order to talk about their conflicting emotions. It was bad to keep them bottled inside.

"Hello, my dear Jazz. Been bored lately?" she asked, half joking. The winged girl bowed with a flourish and twirled in mid-air, knowing that he loved it when she performed aerial acrobatics. Nexia wanted to bring as much comfort to the confined mech's spark

'_**Sup, girl? Naw, I'm fine. I got ya to keep meh company. 'Tanks for dat, birdie.**_ The confined spark replied, dancing around slightly. Nexia giggled, flying toward the tank which held his spark. She did another aerial acrobatic, twisting in midair before she landed, happily giggling when she saw his spark following her.

_**Dat never ceases 't amaze meh. **_Jazz complimented, pulsing in time to her heartbeat. Every time she came she would lend some of her power to the confined spark. It both helped him gain energy for the eventual melding and kept his spirits high since he was full of energy.

Instead of landing on the berth that held Jazz's spark's tank, however, she landed on the berth which held his body. The bright blue spark watched with interest as she sat down with a dreamy look on her face, drawing her knees up and furling her wings against her back. She set her chin down on her knees and stared into space, supposedly having something on her mind to discuss. He figuratively frowned, not liking it when she was upset. It always seemed like when she was upset everyone else was upset, too.

Hound also noticed this and couldn't help but wonder what was on the little winged girl's mind. He was about to go up to her but thought better of it – he was only there to observe and interfere only if necessary.

_**Whatcha thinkin 'bout, birdie? Somethins up. Don' think I can't tell.**_ Jazz's spark said, teasing her slightly. He bounced up and down in his tank, rapidly trying to gain the winged girl's attention. She jerked her head up, blushing slightly as she turned to look at his spark. The more she stalled the further the blush started to spread. Jazz could tell that it was something good.

"Oh my god. I'll tell you but you can't tell anybody else! I'm warning you, Jazz." she warned, blushing an even darker color. Jazz could tell that this was a juicy bit of information so he settled down near the bottom of the tank, the part closest to where she was sitting. He was extremely quiet, wanting to catch every single bit of information that would escape from her mouth. This made her seem to revert back into herself but as the seconds passed she couldn't hold it within herself any longer.

"I kissed Ratchet." she blurted out, covering her face with her hands and burying it in her knees. She couldn't hear anything, knowing that she must have sent Jazz into a bit of a shock. Suddenly Jazz came back to his senses. Hound was in stitches in the corner, knowing some details that the saboteur didn't know. Jazz couldn't see how the two looked at each other so it was no new news in his department.

_**You WHAT?! TELL ME EVERYTHING!!**_ he roared in surprise, causing her to squeak and fall of the table in response. She hit the floor, but remained undamaged as her wings slowed her fall. Nexia glared at the spark, which was busy flickering in laughter, as Hound silently slipped from the room. If he was caught now he would never live it down. He would come back later and make it seem like he was just now arriving.

"It was only a peck on the cheek plate! I swear. Gosh, Jazz." she exclaimed, trying to explain the situation to the glowing spark of the saboteur. Booming footsteps could be heard and the doors swooshed open as Hound bounded in the room, ventilation systems going into overdrive in order to cool down his programming. He was an amazing actor when he wanted to be.

"What? What's wrong?! What's going on?!" the forest green scout asked, leaning over and huffing. He stood up and looked around the room, instantly panicking when he saw Nexia lying on the floor. She sat up, staring at him with a question in her eyes, which were large and round. It took all of his strength not to laugh as he continued acting; his optics grew to the size of dinner plates, figuratively speaking, and he rushed over to the fallen girl.

"Oh, man, are ya alright lil lady? The Hatchet'll kill someone, most likely me, if yur not alright!!" he practically shouted, picking up her small frame, and setting her down upon the table with Jazz's body. Nexia was giggling her head off, watching Hound fret about her wellbeing.

"Yes, Hound. I'm alright. I just slipped off the table. No harm done." she said, swatting a hand in the air. The forest green mech sighed in relief and stood to his full height. He looked down at her, flickering one of his bright blue optics in a sort of wink.

"Yes, Hound. I'm alright. I just slipped off the table. No harm done." she said, swatting a hand in the air. The forest green mech sighed in relief and stood to his full height. He looked down at her, flickering one of his bright blue optics in a sort of wink.

"Good. I didn't want to explain to the Hatchet why his girlfriend was dead." he said, smirking. He enjoyed looking at the look on Nexia's face as he dashed out the door, waving his goodbye. It was fun acting but he knew that he was needed elsewhere. And he totally had them fooled!

Nexia looked down, trying to control the heavy blush that was making its way across her pale skin. Jazz was laughing his proverbial butt off, glowing a little brighter as she turned toward him. The winged girl stuck her tongue out at him, giggling as she acted like a child.

"Gee, thanks. You always know how to make me feel better. What a great friend you turned out to be." Nexia said sarcastically, smiling at the floating orb. He only laughed his reply as she turned toward his body; her scrutinizing gaze making him a little nervous.

She stared at his immobile body, ignoring his questions, and made her way toward the center. It was where his spark chamber was - the place of life for every Autobot and Decepticon. She motioned for Jazz to be silent as she formulated a plan in her head, lifting into the air, and circling the body. Suddenly she struck gold; she had the perfect idea formulated into her head.

Nexia landed on the table and raised a hand to her face, forcing herself to cry a couple of tears. She had to think of something extremely sad - the destruction of her home and the death of her grandfather.

Jazz forced himself not to make a noise, though he would rather had demanded the reason for those tears. Those little round beads of salty water made his spark clench.

Nexia walked over to his great gaping wound, climbing upon the body, and cradling the tears that she had shed. She had an idea and she'd be damned if it didn't work.

The winged girl concentrated her energy, gathering as much as she could without passing out, and forced it to bend to her will. Soon she had a small ball of energy condensed energy, glowing the purist of white, inside her hand. She lowered it to the great wound on Jazz's stomach; the flash it created upon contact became too great for them to look at the body.

Eventually, the white light diminished; the two spectators automatically look back toward the body as it vanished. Jazz gasped, infatuated with what was happening with his body.

The wires from the upper half of his torso were finding and melding with the proper wires with the wires from the lower half of his torso. The two corresponding wires melded together so efficiently and effectively it smoothly melded the two parts of his body back together. When the healing was complete there wasn't even a scar left on the body, making it look like nothing had ever happened.

Jazz was ecstatic, his body was fixed! His spark glowed until it was a bright white color, dancing along the edge of his tank. He looked around for the miraculous Phoenix who had saved his spirit. Now there was an even greater chance that his spark could be placed back within his body! No more small suffocating space!!

He finally spotted Nexia…but something was wrong. He pressed up against the glass, watching her sway back and forth on the table, finally swaying too much in one direction and falling back on her behind. Jazz was worried about her and if he knew it would take so much energy to heal his body he would have waited until she had enough. He now felt guilty because she looked like she was going to pass out any minute!

The winged girl yawned largely, her eyes watering up as she sat down on the table. She could sense Jazz's excitement at having his body fixed but there was still a problem: his spark was still separated from his body. She contemplated this for a while until she had an idea, but she was not sure if it would work. She would need Jazz's permission and she hoped she would not break any of his audio receptors.

She didn't know if she had enough energy to go through with the procedure…but she'd be damned even more if she left him to rot in that tiny little holding cell! She would die if she was stuck in such a small chamber…after what happened last time - when she was captured. She could sympathize with the silver saboteur.

"Jazz," she said, turning to him to gain his attention…not that she had lost it in the first place, "I have an idea to get your spark back inside its shell casing. I don't know if it will actually work but I need your permission to do it." she continued, watching the little orb bob up and down inside prison. He seemed to be…nodding.

_**I trust ya, birdie. Do what ya gotta do. I gots complete faith 'n ya. **_he said, giving her the ok to do her idea. Nexia nodded and took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for her next task.

"Alright…just don't blame me when your audio receptors are blown." she said, turning back to his still body. She climbed up to his spark casing, resting her hand on the empty casing.

"My idea is to sing…but it won't be just an ordinary song. Phoenix's have rather unique voices. They can do almost anything when they sing: attack one's conscience, create force fields, and they can also lead one's soul, or in your case spark, back to its body." she explained, sitting cross legged on his spark casing. Her energy was almost depleted but the young Phoenix was determined to get this done.

"I, myself, can create illusions with my own voice, but a Phoenix may have more than one ability. It just depends on the Phoenix's personality." she finished, turning back towards the still body. She closed her eyes and began to sing, slowly and quietly at first but then it began to get more heartfelt.

"_I wonder why things just have to fall away, with me running after, screaming for them to stay, yet nothing ever seems to want to go my way. It seems like I can't talk to you anymore, the talks we used to share have faded into lore, and just thinking 'bout the topic makes my mind sore. Where is our friendship hiding? Away has the bond been gliding…" _she sang, placing a hand over her heart. It was a difficult song to sing but she knew that she could complete it.

Jazz felt a small, almost unnoticeable, tugging on his spark. It was like a soft caress of the wind against his entire being. Soon, everything around the excited blue spark became a blur…almost like he was moving very fast or spinning in a circle.

"_I can't help but wonder why, why do you now seem so shy? What is with the vacant look on your face; does my childlike laughter not deserve your grace? You used to be my closest friend, yet why do I get the feeling that friendship is going to end? Not to myself can I lie, yet I can't help but always wonder why."_ the winged girl's voice echoed through the room, echoing as Nexia's spell of revival interlaced itself through Jazz's wiring and spark.

The tugging on Jazz's spark became more frantic and the spinning became faster until he felt like he was going to become sick. Well, he would have been sick if he actually had a mouth to upchuck from…that is if he could even become sick at all. He closed his optical sensors, or more like his sense of sight, and hoped the strange sensation would be over with.

_It used to be every weekend that we'd hang out, does all my constant chatter want to make you shout? I'm sorry but I can't change the tone of my voice, if it came between them and I would you make that choice? Would you really choose between me and your new friends, when all I want to do is to make amends. Please, just turn around and hear me scream, the tears glisten in my eyes and make them gleam."_

Oh how he wish this awful sensation would be over soon. He was getting lightheaded and little did he know that the louder Nexia's voice grew the weaker her body became. Her wings trembled with the effort to keep her body balanced but she was incredibly determined.

"_But…"_

With that single word she poured out half the remaining power she had left in her body. Suddenly, the world stopped spinning and everything had gone black for Jazz. He activated his sight sensors but nothing worked. At first he panicked, not knowing what happened. He decided to wait it out, hoping to Primus that everything would pass and he would be alright. If he was alive he owed Nexia his life and his freedom.

_I" can't help but wonder why, why do you now seem so shy? When we laughed and danced before, when life warmed us to the core. When we pushed and shoved and joked, when our computer times were revoked, Because we were friends…I want to make amends…Even though you are still there, the times when you truly smile seem so rare."_ she continued singing, smoothly using her arms to guide the stunned spark back in its spark chamber. He was being a little stubborn but that was to be expected in this kind of situation.

"_I can't help but wonder why, why do you now seem so shy? What is with the vacant look on your face; does my childlike laughter not deserve your grace? You used to be my closest friend, yet why do I get the feeling that friendship is going to end?_

_Not to myself can I lie, yet I can't help but always wonder why." _the winged girl's power was dwindling. It had been so long ago she had used her healing power and even then it wasn't to revive someone…or in this case lead a soul back to its rightful body.

"_You used to be my closest friend yet why do I get the feeling that friendship is going to end? Not to myself can I lie, and I can't help but wonder why…can't help to wonder why…wonder why…why?"_ the exhausted winged girl finished, spending all but the last miniscule shard of energy in the singing. She opened her tired eyes to find that Jazz's spark was gone, however, there was a faint light coming from the inside of his body's spark containment unit.

Nexia wobbled back and forth on her unstable legs, having used almost the last amount of energy to complete her song of healing. Creating illusions was no problem for her, as she demonstrated before, but she had never even thought to attempt something of that magnitude. It was a risky move that caused her to use so much energy…but it was worth it.

The winged girl turned and flopped down on her behind, trying to conserve as much energy as she could before she passed out completely. She hoped she wouldn't because then she would have to face the wrath of Ratchet…although that wouldn't be such a bad thing though. A small smirk graced her face as she thought about the medic's rash actions. It was kind of…cute in a way. She was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts by an unusual noise.

Nexia slowly turned around to the sound of a deep metallic groaning voice, coming face to face with Jazz's visor, which glowed an outstanding blue. He looked around, confused, before looking back at the Phoenix. Her eyes widened before she let out a huge shriek, falling backwards in a dead faint. Jazz's optics widened under his visor as he jumped to catch the falling form of the Phoenix. It seems as if the shock of facing the actual Autobot had drained her last reserves of energy.

"Oh, man! Now Ratch-man iz gunna keel me!" he sighed, picking up the winged girl and detangling himself from the medical sensory wires. He stood, albeit a tad bit woozy from being disembodied for a while, and made his way toward the door. The silver saboteur snuck through the hall, ducking down whenever someone walked past him. Jazz wanted to surprise everybody so he slinked through the shadows.

The small silver mech stopped at the Medical Bay doors, cringing at the thought of what Ratchet would do to him once he saw the state his 'beloved' Nexia was in. It would be most likely that he would be melted down into a pile of scrap metal. Jazz snickered at the thought of calling Nexia Ratchet's beloved. It was about time he found someone to be with instead of mourning over Moonracer. He had to accept that Moon was gone and that Nexia was here in front of him. She had been there the entire time she's been with them.

Jazz shook his head to clear out any ideas of matchmaking, steeling himself when he reached the Medical Bay doors, and slid inside when he was sure nobody was looking. He slinked close to the walls, almost flush against them, so Ratchet wouldn't hear his footsteps. The small silver saboteur smirked and came up behind the medic. He was, of course, careful with Nexia's body as he crept, eventually leaning his head next to the medic's head.

The Autobot medic was sitting at his desk with a dreamy look on his face, uncharacteristically sighing every so often. Jazz held in the urge to snicker again; he knew what the medic was thinking about. It was a certain winged girl he was currently holding in his hand. Ratchet was also probably thinking about the small peck that Nex had given him. The medic had been doing nothing but sitting at his desk, thinking about how he felt about her for the longest time.

"What's crackin' Ratch-man?" Jazz asked with his traditional lopsided grin. Ratchet jumped from his chair and whirled around, optics wide. He stood still, a hand over his spark, and stared at the saboteur very, very hard. Finally Ratchet realized that he had been staring and finally managed to speak. He couldn't believe that the injured silver saboteur was standing in front of his very form.

"Jazz? Is that you? Dear Primus, who fixed you?! Is everything functional?" he asked in a rush, striding up to the smaller bot and clapping him on the shoulder. The medic scanned him, a surprised look coming upon his face plates as he realized that all the scars the saboteur had gotten throughout the war were, in fact, missing. He looked like a brand new mech! All of his wires and programs were functional and his paint was even shiny.

"Not now, Ratch. I gots a little package for ya." Jazz replied in his deep voice. The small silver mech brought up his hand for the medic to inspect and after a moment Ratchet's optics were widening once again. The small winged girl was lying motionless in Jazz's hand, obviously unconscious.

The Autobot medic snatched Nexia out of the silver mech's claws gently, but quickly, as he scanned her. Ratchet's mouth set into a grim line as he rushed her to a set of human sized cots in the corner of the bay, tucking her into one of them and turning back to the smaller mech. She was just exhausted…but he wondered what the winged girl did to exhaust her so.

"Iz she gonna be alrigh', doc? Whas' th' verdict?" Jazz asked, his visor dimming somewhat in shame since he knew that this entire thing was his fault. Ratchet nodded his head and sighed in relief as he finished another set of various scans. He saw no harm in showing his concern for the winged girl since he was sure that Jazz wouldn't tell anyone. The medic turned back to the silvery mech, standing from the berth with the beds on it. He took another step towards him, clapping him on the shoulder heartily once again.

"Yes. She will be fine. All she needs is rest." the CMO stated, looking at the other mech. He suddenly smiled widely, clapping Jazz on the shoulder again - so what? He was excited to see him again. It looked like the two friends, and comrades, had much to catch up upon.


	9. The Decepticons Discover Nexia

**Hey!!! This chapter has been revised!**

**My thanks to:**

**hermonine - Thanks, Hound is pretty excited that Jazz is back, also!**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Thanks! Yeah, I would love to have powers like that.**

**Elita One - Yeah, everyone except for those two!**

**dandyparakeet - Yeah, although I think Ratchet would be in a slight state of shock. Thanks!**

**Thanks for all of your reviews!!**

Hey, vote on my new transformers poll!!! Please!

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**Chapter 8**

**The Decepticons Discover Nexia**

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Nexia awoke the next morning with a start, immediately sitting up as though the pillow and mattress were on fire. A blankness ran through her mind as her tiredness was swept away, bleary eyes staring into space. The winged girl blinked rapidly, trying to remember what had occurred the other day. The only thing she could really remember was singing that song and seeing Jazz's visor light up…wait a minute! wasn't Jazz revived yesterday?!

"Jazz!" Nexia gasped, ripping the covers from her still quivering body and swinging her legs over the side of the cot. She moved to stand up but almost collapsed when the world started spinning. The winged girl shook her head, almost instantly regretting it as it made her head start to ache. She stumbled even further, squeaking in alarm.

"Whoa, there! Take it easy, lil missy. You're still exhausted now, arenchya?" Hound's voice commented, catching her in his rather large green hand. His fingers carefully and smoothly curled around her as he steadied her still trembling frame. The forest green scout helped settle Nexia back on her designated cot and smiled widely at her, causing her to smile in return. Suddenly he picked her back up again and lifted her to his spark in a giant hug, carefully making sure that he didn't hug her too hard.

"You did it! He's back! Jazz is back!" the overly excited mech exclaimed, swinging her around in a small circle. She tilted her head back as pearls of laughter escaped her while her hair smoothly swished around her face. He continued twirling her for a while until the doors swished open and a recognizably angry voice caused them to freeze. Oh dear, the Hatchet was back.

"What do you think you're doing?! She should be resting!! You're interrupting her recovery process!" Ratchet growled, rushing over and demanding that the forest green scout hand over the Phoenix. The medic stood beside the duo, tapping his foot on the floor and wiggling his fingers impatiently; it was all Nexia could do to keep from snorting in another round of laughter.

Hound slowly let the tired winged girl slide into Ratchet's outstretched palm, winking when their optics - well eyes for Nexia - met. Ratchet flushed when Hound winked at him when the winged girl turned around; the Autobot medic subtly motioned with his free hand for him to quit. Nexia, however, was totally ignorant to the transaction going on above her. She turned, smiling slightly at the look on Ratchet's faceplates. It was adorable how his facial plates would crease between his optics whenever he was exasperated.

The forest green mech successfully escaped the horror of the Med Bay with a smirk on his face, high-fiving Jazz as he approached the silver mech - who was discreetly slouched against the wall of the hallway outside of the Medical Bay. The two mechs talked a bit before Hound attached himself to Jazz in a mech's version of a man-hug, patting Jazz's back and squeezing him to death. He had thought that Jazz was a goner and that he was never going to recover his spark. The man-hug lasted for several minutes before the smaller mech shoved the much taller one off. Both of them were coughing and pretending like it never happened. Such is the life of two manly men - or mechs in their case.

Ratchet looked at Nexia with a worried expression embedded into his creased facial plates, starting up a scan to see if all was well. Once he was finished he smiled, setting her back onto the cot. He activated his holoform and took a seat on a vacant chair next to her cot. He said nothing but stared at her until she looked up into his bright blue eyes.

"What?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow as she peered into the medic's bright eyes. It wasn't until then that she realized that his eyes had brightened a shade, becoming an overwhelming electric blue. They were mesmerizing; it was like they morphed into different shades of blue every few seconds and then eventually settling back into their original blue. In fact, his whole entire stance had seemed to be lightened, making him look thousands of years younger - or maybe a few years in his holoform.

The Autobot medic sat there, beaming at the young winged girl. She continued to stare at him with an eyebrow raised as he mused in his thoughts. Ratchet couldn't believe that someone as small as her was capable of something that he couldn't accomplish. It wasn't that he was jealous of her but he was simply stunned that something so small could contain such a large amount of power.

"You, my dear Phoenix, have brought back one of my most trusted comrades and dear friends. I shall never have anything worth repaying you with. You have my eternal gratitude." he said kindly, trying to resist the urge to pick her up and twirl her around, much like Hound was doing. He furiously resisted the urge since she was still in a delicate situation. He finally gave up his resistance and settled for picking her up and hugging her close to his holoform's warm body, sighing contently. He missed the softening of her eyes a the winged girl smiled contently as well.

"Am I interrupting anything, you two?" a soft scientific voice asked. Nobody else had that peculiar accent in the base so it wasn't hard to distinguish. The pair didn't have to turn to know that it was Wheeljack. The two hugging forms broke their contact as Nexia's face suddenly reddened, causing the white scientist to snicker slightly. Ratchet and Nexia recomposed themselves as they turned to face the white mech, each glaring at him for certain reasons.

"Yes, 'Jack? May I help you?" Ratchet said, irritation evident in his voice. Nexia turned and glared at the white scientist but he wasn't fazed - her glares hardly put a fight next to the Hatchet's deadly looks.

The irritable medic had just gotten to see his favorite femme, who was one of the people he could stand to be around for more than twenty minutes, and they were interrupted. It was one of the worst possible times to be interrupted, too. It was one of the rare moments that the battle worn medic would show emotions.

The white scientist raised his hands in surrender, not wanting to be the target of Ratchet's annoyance. He was actually a mech who valued his life…unlike some of the other mechs around the base. Although Wheeljack was one of the few Autobots who managed to NOT annoy the Autobot medic, most of the time, he still did not want to face the Hatchet's wrath. He didn't want his aft welded to the ceiling.

"Well…I…uh… Jazz wanted to take a spin with dear Nexia, here. Don't shoot me! I'm just the messenger!" Wheeljack managed to squeak through his nervousness. Man, was Ratchet's glare icy enough to freeze his circuits! He gulped nervously as his twin fins flashed a nervous kind of white before he was backtracking towards the door. Ratchet's look suggested that someone was going to die and he didn't want to be anywhere near it.

The white scientist quickly skirted out of the door, optics tracing the annoyed medic's movements. The mech was ready to sprint if he needed to. The door swooshed open as the white mech backed through it, feeling like a piece of meat under the neon mech's stare. Nexia laughed lightly, turning to face the fuming medic. Ratchet looked down at the little winged figure nestled in his hand, optics softening as he did. He looked her over, making sure that she wasn't injured in any way, shape, or form.

"Um…Ratchet? Do you have anything I can change into? I didn't bring anything today." The winged girl asked, trailing off in embarrassment once she realized her clothes were crumpled. She flushed as he looked her over, not quite sure what she was insinuating. Then finally the light bulb clicked on.

Ratchet's optics widened substantially once he realized what the winged girl in his possession was talking about, nodding his head quickly. He walked over to the table beside the cot she woke up in and picked up a bag, then made his way over to a human sized door. He set her down next to the door and gave her a little shove, smiling slightly. He gave her the bag and chuckled lightly at her confused expression, giving her another gentle push towards the door.

"Don't worry so much. I wouldn't send you to your doom, would I? It's a bathroom with a working shower. We built some around the base, along with a complete set of human sized living quarters, in case you guys wanted to stay here for a while." The neon green medic explained, chuckling softly again when her mouth shaped into a little 'o' shape. He felt satisfied when she nodded, turning back to work on some task that needed to be complete. Nexia, however, disappeared inside the bathroom, taking the bag of clothes that were offered to her.

Around twenty minutes later the winged girl emerged again, completely clean. She shook the water from her wings, sighing in content. She was now wearing a pair of low cut black jeans and an opened back blue tank top – there was enough space for her wings to stretch out. She wore the same boots she had been wearing her entire stay, much to the pleasure of the Autobot medic.

He fought back a small blush, enjoying the extensive view of the skin on her back; it was such a delicious temptation as she flexed her powerful wings. Soon she was in the air; the wind the air conditioner was making was drying her hair as she flew through the undisturbed air. She landed on Ratchet's shoulder armor as he turned, waiting for her to sit and get comfortable before walking out of the Medical Bay.

"Hey there, lil birdie! Wha's crackin'?" Jazz deep gangster voice exploded from the side. He was leaning against the wall next to the door that leads outside the Autbot base, obviously waiting for her and Ratchet. Usually she was always with the Autobot medic so if anybody wanted her they just went looking for Ratchet.

Nexia's face lightened when she saw the silver mech, her eyes began shining with anxiousness as she thought about their upcoming drive. She had wanted to go driving with the saboteur and watch his reaction when they were out in the open space. He was looking well; his paint had been buffed and he was shining even better than yesterday.

Ratchet let Nexia jump onto his outstretched hand, gazing at her happily as she flared out her wings for balance. If he could he would have melted into a puddle of goo at the sight of it. He set her down on the ground as Jazz transformed, making Nexia whistle in appreciation for his alternative mode.

The winged girl walked over and ran her hands over the silver Pontiac Solstice; it was obviously an enjoyable sensation for the mech because he was starting to purr. Nexia giggled, not noticing the extremely jealous look Ratchet was sending at Jazz, the silver mech shivering violently at the look of murder in the neon mech's optics. The door popped open, inviting the young phoenix in for a ride. She complied, vanishing her wings in order to sit in the front seat comfortably.

The old battle hardened medic sighed as he watched Nexia drive away with Jazz, one of his best friends. Sure, he was ecstatic that Jazz was functioning again but he was jealous due to the fact that the winged girl was with him. He was jealous of all the attention that Nexia was giving the newly revived silver mech.

Ratchet had also finally come to terms with his feelings about her: he loved her. He loved everything about her, especially her kind and caring personality. He would tell her about the new and strange feelings but he believed that he didn't deserve her. She wouldn't want to be in a relationship with someone like him.

Ratchet sighed, looking down at the floor and cursing lightly before heading back towards the Medical Bay. He was about to get back to work but something shiny caught his optic. He turned toward the light and cursed when he realized it was her katana with the tracking device! He didn't know if Jazz's com unit was working! Oh she better be all right… if anything happened to the winged girl he didn't know if he could ever recover.

The exited winged girl laughed out loud as Jazz sped down the open roadway, blasting rap through his speakers; his base was on full blast and was vibrating the interior of the silver car. Nexia looked over the soft interior, seemingly satisfied by the shiny black leather. She absently traced circles on the top of the seat she was sitting on, causing the mech to start purring again. The Phoenix grinned mischievously, continuing to trace little circles on his upholstery.

"Ooh…don' stop…tha' feels goo'" he moaned, speeding up with little bursts of energy but then slowing down when she started twirling her fingers around again. Nexia giggled; she knew she was teasing the mech but it had been a while since he had had a massage…or something remotely close to one.

The now wingless girl bent down to the armrests and gently slid two of her fingers up and down, barely touching the piece of material. He shuddered, nearly swerving off the road they were traveling on and moaned loudly, causing her to nearly burst out laughing. She stopped, letting Jazz come back into control of his actions. They were both silent, each content with just the other's presence.

The unusual pair continued down the road, driving around aimlessly for hours upon hours; eventually the duo of unusual beings came to a small cliff looking over the town of Tranquility. Nexia climbed out of the Solstice, albeit a bit hesitant, to look at the scenery laid out in front of her.

The city looked beautiful in the evening sunlight but Nexia was still uncomfortable about being in the middle of an open area…next to a small cliff. Bad memories flashed through her mind but all she had to do was think about the incredible new friends she had made. The thought of them, including the wonderful feeling Ratchet invoked from her, chased away her demons.

The now wingless girl was still a tiny bit afraid of cliffs since the last time she had fallen down one. She hesitantly stood at the top of the cliff, muscles tense, but she soon relaxed as Jazz drove up behind her. The silver mech always had her back. That was the way of the Autobots. She heard the familiar sound of gears shifting so she turned around, smiling when she saw the blue glow of Jazz's visor.

The Cybertronian Phoenix and the silver Autobot enjoyed each other's company, watching the evening sun start to set. It was still light outside so they just sat there in almost complete silence; neither had to say anything for the feeling of absolute friendship to waft through the air. Jazz was still pumping out some jamming tunes, occasionally bobbing his head to the beat.

Nexia smiled and bobbed her head in time to the music as well, sighing in contentment as she watched a couple of birds fly through the air. She was happiest when there was peace around her, not fighting, but she would fight if was required of her.

The wingless girl closed her eyes, enjoying the wind waving her hair across her face; she was thinking about what had been going on the past couple of days. She had come across a conclusion concerning the neon medic: she was in love with him. It was almost impossible for an organic and an Autobot to have a relationship, however, there was no denying the fact that she was in love with him. She wanted to admit it to a confidant but she didn't know anything about love! What if she was wrong? It was so confusing!

Nexia was about to initiate a conversation but the sound of thrusters could be heard whizzing through the air. It was a startling sound and it was coming from behind the duo. The wingless girl was about to look up but heard the familiar sound of gears transforming through the air. She turned and jumped up as soon as a heavy mech landed in front of them.

She stood stunned; Jazz had jumped up and moved in front of her smaller form to protect her. The silver saboteur stood staring, or more like glaring, at the rather large mech. He was unappealing in a grayish color and had two large wings protruding from the sides of his back. If he transformed he would look like a modern day fighter pilot - maybe an F-18 at the most. She gasped, recognizing the purple Decepticon logo on his cockpit.

"What're you doin' here, Decepti-creep!?" Jazz yelled, taking another protective step in front of Nexia. He tried to be discreet but the giant evil ball of slime noticed, grinning in an evil way of satisfaction. Nexia cursed, trying to back out of the line of the Decepticon's sight. It was useless; the Decepticon must have analyzed her energy structure as that of a Cybertronian.

"Oh? What do we have here? A runaway saboteur and a human…or are you an alien, like us? You have a distinct energy signature. Nevertheless…enough about that. How should I kill you?" the Decepti-creep hissed, slowly walking toward the pair.

Suddenly, the Decepticon charged his photon cannon, shooting a rather large energy blast toward the pair. The white-hot energy was sizzling and melted any rock that stood in its way. Jazz was lucky and jumped out of the way but Nexia wasn't as lucky as the silver mech. The ball of energy exploded at her feet, causing her to fly backwards off the cliff. About halfway down, she brought out her wings, soaring high into the sky, and out of the reach of the battle.

Jazz took this time to activate his com unit, desperately trying to contact anyone in the Autobot base. It was a long shot…and he didn't know if his communicators were working yet.

_**Jazz t' Autobot Base!! Come in!! Nex an' I are bein' attacked by Decepticons! It's Starscream and I have Barricade on mah scanners! Come in!!**_ Jazz cried desperately as Nexia tried to distract Starscream with her Phoenix Flames.

She hit the back of Starscream's helm with one of her fireballs but gasped when he deflected it back towards her. She charged up another attack, but he flicked her away. She went flying into the sky in a heap of fire, righting herself with a flap of her wings. Finally, the crackle of Jazz com came to life.

_**Autobot Jazz, this is Optimus Prime responding to your call! Autobots Ratchet and Ironhide are coming to your aid. Estimated time arrival: 20 minutes! Can you hold out?**_ Answered the strong voice of his commander. Jazz sighed in relief as he readied his own photon cannon, nodding to himself in satisfaction. He shot at the Decepticon, distracting him from furthering his advancement on the winged girl.

_**Sure thing, Optimus. Jazz out.**_ he said, closing his short ranged Communications System, and pointing his cannon at Starscream's head. Nexia noticed Jazz taking aim and flitted to the side, allowing the small saboteur to shoot.

The blue-white energy sizzled as it flew through the air but Starscream was expecting he shot, dodging it and laughing when it finally hit the ground. The stray shot exploded, creating a rather large crater in the earth. Nexia gasped, eyes widening, and flew higher in the air. She didn't notice Starscream's evil grin as a siren filled the air.

Nexia flew down to the ground, landing softly, as she thought the siren was Ratchet's. The siren brought a sense of security…but something seemed a little off. She folded her wings against her back and turned back to watch the battle, shaking off her unusual feeling. She stood for a few minutes before something hit her…the siren actually sounded like a police siren. Ratchet wasn't a police car - he was a Search and Rescue hummer!

The winged girl turned, only to be tackled down by a small silver robot. The little robot was only half her size She screamed, trying to kick the small mini-bot off of her, scratching herself up quite a bit and drawing a small amount of blood. She finally managed to kick the small pain-in-the-butt off of her but had to duck as it shot off multiple shuriken like objects at her. She managed to dodge all of them, laughing as the small mech cursed in Cybertronian.

"F-frag!! F-f-frenzy kill annoy-ying P-Phoenix!!" he sputtered out, sprouting little claws on his hands. Or, more accurately, his claws replaced his fingers. He launched forward but missed as she nimbly dodged to the side. Nexia laughed at him again, flapping her wings, and taking off in the air. The little silver bot yelled, shooting off more shurikens at her. The winged girl dodged expertly but, as she was distracted, she didn't notice the police car had transformed; the evil bot had come up behind her when she was distracted.

The Phoenix girl flew higher yet, turning on her back to face the spazzing mech; she wasn't watching where she was going and crashed into a solid force as she flew. Nexia stopped in mid air, turning to face a horrible sight - the face of a black and white Decepticon. Nexia screamed, her voice quickly getting cut off as the hand of the giant mech came up around her. She squeaked as the giant hand squeezed, cutting off the air supply to her lungs. The Decepticon only laughed, revealing a row if incredibly sharp teeth.

"Nex!!! No…let her go, foo'!! You'll regret what you've dun!" Jazz yelled, away to the side of the black and white Saleen. The Decepticon only laughed, shaking his head as he squeezed his hand harder. He grinned at the sound of cracking bones.

Jazz couldn't attack since the Decepticon had a hold on the winged girl. If he did attack he could end up injuring her…and he would never be able to live with himself. The small silver mech quickly activated his short ranged Communication Systems again, letting the other Autobots know about their situation.

_**Jazz to Ratchet! You betta get hea' fast! Barricade's got Nex! He's crushin' her! **_he shouted over the link, not waiting for a reply. Looking at the pained face of the Phoenix he decided that now was the time to make a move. Jazz jumped on Barricade's back, clawing at the giant mech's face, however, the attack had no effect. The Decepticon just laughed, swiping the good natured Autobot away with one hand.

The sound of transforming vehicles caused the three already transformed mechs to turn around. Jazz sighed in relief as the other two cursed, backing up to defend themselves better in a group. The mini-bot had been knocked out by Jazz's photon cannon shots just minutes before the cavalry arrived. Now the wouldn't have to worry about the little annoyance.

A clenched neon fist came out of nowhere and punched the black and white mech in the face; the punch caught the offender off guard, causing the Decepticon to let go of the winged girl. Jazz dove, catching the Phoenix in his claws. He mentally cheered and jumped away to hide behind Ironhide. Jazz handed the battle over to the other two mechs, enjoying the fact that Starscream and Barricade were getting their afts handed to them on a silver platter.

The normally calm medic unleashed his powerful saw, charging up the rotator; he was wearing a cruel look on his faceplates and was enjoying the look of fear on Barricade's face. The medic grabbed hold of anything that was loose on the black and white mech's body and began hacking away at his vital parts. It was probably a good thing to be a medic since he actually knew where the vitals were.

Barricade became desperate, finally kicking Ratchet's legs out from underneath him. The black and white Decepticon transformed, using his ugly holoform to pick up the mini-bot and throw him in his backseat. Starscream was soon to follow as they ran away with their tail between their legs.

Nexia smiled as she cheered them on, fluttering her wings happily as she rose in the air to meet her saviors. Ratchet put away his saw as he rushed over to the Phoenix, a worried look in his bright blue optics. He scanned her over, sighing in relief when he found no major injuries on her form.

"Are you alright, Nex?" he asked, somewhat out of breath. She laughed, nodding her head. He visibly relaxed, smiling back at her, causing her smile to widen. Neither of them noticed the other two mechs transforming and leaving them together. Nexia lowered herself on Ratchet's shoulder as he sat himself down next to the cliff. They were happy with one another, however, they were still unaware of each other's feelings towards one another.

The winged girl leaned herself against his Search and Rescue lights as she relaxed, hanging one of her legs down over the edge of his armor. She quickly leaned over and gave him a long kiss on the cheek, whispering words of thanks in his audio receptor. She giggled softly to herself as she noticed the slight change in temperature of his armor. Nexia leaned back in her original position and sighed as they watched the sunset together, enjoying each others company. They had never been happier and they only hoped that they could finally confess their feelings for one another.


	10. Ratchet's Feelings

**Alright!! I'm graduating high school in two weeks!! Awesomeness! Guys, please vote on my poll. *pout* It's still tied and I don't know what to do! I could do a threesome I guess…**

**-Kitsune**

**Thanks to these who reviewed to the last chapter!**

**hermonine - I'm glad you think the last chapter was good!**

**Stesuna the Dragon - I'm hoping to put more romance in it soon **

**Elita One - Yup! When she feels comfortable she can be quite outgoing!**

**Thanks again guys!**

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**Chapter 9**

**Ratchet's Feelings**

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The medic sighed as he brought a neon hand to his tired faceplates, cradling his sore processor. Over the past two weeks he had done so much thinking on his predicament. He was in love with the beautiful winged girl, much to the CMO's distress. It was not that he didn't want to love her it was the fact that she could be harmed for loving an Autobot. The Decepticons could find out about her and use her for their own personal gain.

He was not good enough for the beautiful girl and that singular thought was constantly running through his processor. Why wouldn't it since it was true? In the past two weeks he had done some outrageous things to get her attention, although he knew he didn't deserve it. He even went so far as to help Wheeljack make a sparring partner, human sized, named Peter-tron. The small life form helped her powers grow tremendously as her flames can now scorch their metal. They can also harm their pain receptors; instead of feeling like a little prick they felt like burning stabs of pain!

The battle hardened medic shook his head, snapping himself out of his dazed stupor. Ratchet's processor had been wandering again; it had been happening increasingly lately. He smiled to himself; he finally decided that he wished to speak with Optimus ad Sam on the matter. They were his two closest friends and respected their opinion. The Autobot medic was to meet them in his room a little bit later but was in no rush since he had already given them the codes to his room. He was going to change the password a little later, after Optimus and Sam had left his quarters.

"Hey Ratch? Sorry to bother you…but do you have any human sized bandages?" she asked him, blinking up at him with those innocent eyes. The Autobot medic could get lost in those glowing irises forever.

The Autobot's Commanding Medical Officer reached out one of his hand for her to land on, taking away her strain of having to hover in midair. He nodded but looked back at her sharply when he processed what she had said. What did she need human sized bandages for? Was she injured? He wanted to fix it. He could fix it! However, in order to fix the problem he needed to know what happened first.

"Why would you need some?" he asked her, a hint of worry laced in his voice. He scanned her lightly but could find no anomaly in her ordinary functions. The winged Phoenix flexed her wings, smiling sheepishly. She was trying incredibly hard to force down the blush crawling across her face but with his keen optics Ratchet saw the faint hue of red. Nexia smiled nervously as she raised her finger for him to see.

"You'll think it's stupid but I somehow managed to get a paper cut. It's bleeding and I don't want it to get infected." Nexia said calmly, watching the small trail of blood making its way slowly down her finger.

The medic's optics zoomed in and focused on the small trail as well, calming down when he noticed that it brought no harm to the small life form in front of him. It was painful, maybe, but was a threat to her life. Ratchet sighed quietly in relief, telling her where the bandages were and quietly left the Medical Bay. The large mech didn't want Nexia knowing where he was off to; it was a conversation partially about her after all.

The Autobot medic sauntered out the doors once he knew that the winged girl was safely in the air; she was flapping her wings vigorously to gain altitude. Nexia turned to ask him a question but shrugged when she realized that he was no longer in the room. Oh well, she'd just use any bandages that she found. He had plenty of them, after all.

Ratchet nervously entered the extensive combination to his quarters, having to enter it twice because of his shaking fingers. You couldn't blame the mech for his nervousness. He was about to reveal something that he would never admit to anyone else. He was about to confess his deepest secret to his leader and a human boy; it was a big feat but they were some of the greatest friends that he could ever ask for. They would understand…Ratchet was sure of it.

He took a deep intake of oxygen to calm his fluttering spark and entered the room, bracing himself against the curious looks he no doubt would receive. It was now or he would never admit this secret to anyone whether they were a friend or the object of his infatuation. Ratchet looked around the extensively bare room, locating Optimus seated on the chair next to his desk. Sam was seated on the desk itself; the char compared to his friend was enormous, making him look like a mini-bot.

The great blue and red flamed mech motioned for him to sit on the berth, smiling softly at the medic's embarrassing misfortune. The medic was always the one to give Optimus the best advice about everything and now it was his time to give some back his old friend.

Ratchet steeled himself though he knew that he could trust his friends. They were the ones who stood by him through one of the most difficult battles any of them had ever faced. If they could face Megatron together then they could easily solve this little problem…or was it really such a problem?

The troubled medic sat upon the berth, facing the table where Optimus and Sam were sitting. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he began speaking. Even while he was self-conscious he drew all the attention to himself…not that it was a bad thing.

"This…is hard for me to say. It hardly ever comes to this but I am in need of some advice." the medic paused, looking the other two beings square in the optics/eyes.

"I have come to the two of you because you are both wise, kind, and would not ridicule me for my problem." he continued a bit hesitantly, looking at his leader and Sam in turn. They were both looking back at him intently, both wanting to know what exactly the problem was; they would help their friend in any way they could. It was not often that the wise medic needed help.

"I have found myself…severely attracted to a certain striking female with wings. In other words I have fallen in love with Nexia. I can't really explain my feelings towards her…but she makes me feel like I have a purpose." he continued, watching as the information sunk in his friend's minds. It was true; Ratchet had been in a deep depression for the past thousand years. He felt like he had no purpose…but that feeling was no more.

Ratchet's friends' facial expressions changed from stoic to shocked; they finally settled to extreme happiness when the information finally sunk into their minds.

Optimus grinned at the nervous medic, standing from his sitting position, and strutting happily over to his friend. He clapped his massive blue hand on the medic's shoulder, practically shouting words of praise. It had been years since he had seen Ratchet this close to utter happiness. Now they needed to devise a way for him to confess his feelings for the winged girl.

Sam, however, was muttering to himself and dancing in small circles on the corner of the chair. If he wasn't careful he would fall to his untimely demise. This small action caused the large Autobot medic to loose his nervousness as he cracked a large smile. Ratchet's audio receptors could pick up a couple of words from his ranting and translated it into 'It was about time the giant lug nut finally admitted it'.

Ratchet smiled back at them, optics lighting up a couple of shades. It was a habit that his optic color would brighten and dim with his moods, the lighter they were the happier he was and the darker the more depressed he became. More often than late Optimus would see that his optics had darkened to the point of almost being black…but now they were the bright blue an Autobot's optics were supposed to be.

The ecstatic medic's spark soared once he got the confession off his chassis. He leaned forward, motioning the other two to come forward as well. Sam climbed on Optimus' shoulder, hanging onto the enormous mech's smokestack in order to stay on board, as he leaned in. Both beings were eager for the medic to continue.

"I would like to tell her my newfound feelings…but I do not know if I should. I can't help but think that she doesn't feel the same way." the medic confessed, eyes darkening again as he looked towards his hands.

"I do not even know how to confess my feelings to her if I was going to tell her at all. I am not used to this sort of situation." he finished, slumping forward and putting his neon helm in his hands. He sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day before he heard Optimus' deep voice echo through his room. The tone that the Autobot leader held also caught Ratchet's attention; it was almost wistful, making the medic look up from his brooding position.

"I believe that you should never turn your back on love. You should confront your problems head on or they will eventually eat away at your spark." he said, his deep voice reverberating through Ratchet's processor. Ratchet remembered when he had a crush on Moonracer. He never confessed his feelings…but then again that feeling could never compare the fiery rush of love running through his energon lines.

Sam agreed with everything Optimus said, nodding his head as his once again frizzed hair bounced up and down. Ratchet's optics lightened once again, showing that his friends' words were bringing up his spirit.

Once the pair of friends left the room Ratchet flopped back on the berth, thinking over his choices. He could choose either to withdraw his emotions and live a lonely, bitter life or he could express his emotions and be happy. His processor was whirring overtime, thinking about the one thing, or particularly person, who had been plaguing him ever since he had helped rescue her. She was always on his processor…her presence was embedded into his very spark.

The Autobot medic focused his mind on her physical attributes, detailing all of her beautiful features, then focusing on her wonderful personality. He remembered the day that Jazz was awakened and the jealousy he felt when Nexia had went out with him. The fear he felt when she was in the arms of that despicable Starscream was enormous; it felt like his very spark was being cracked into separate pieces. It was worse than when Moonracer died.

Ratchet made up his mind - he was going to tell Nexia how he felt. He was going to tell her exactly how his spark shuttered in awe whenever she was near him. His spark soared with nervousness, hoping to Primus that Nexia wouldn't reject him.

He would be shattered but would still keep his promise to protect her to his or her dying day. He was adamant about her safety, struggling to keep her from hurting herself with her carefree ways. Nexia didn't seem to care; she was always getting herself into unique situations. Ratchet slid from the berth and stood, exiting the room while wandering around the Autobot base. It wouldn't be long until he would find the wonderful Phoenix and then he would admit his feelings.

Meanwhile, Nexia was flying through the base, trying to find the only other female companion, Mikaela. It was wonderful that she had so many friends…but sometimes the winged girl needed another female to talk to about…certain things. Nexia needed a sisterly figure to talk to and the dark haired girl would be just the person to help her figure out her feelings. She was unsure about the sporadic twinges that her heart would feel whenever her thoughts turned to a certain Search and Rescue Hummer.

The winged girl flapped her large wings, gaining a bit of altitude so she could spot the female human at a better distance. Finally she spotted the female, who was with Sam of course, and landed silently behind her. Ironhide, who was stationed at the one of the base's computers, winked at her and grinned. He knew what was going to happen but stayed quiet for his part in the prank. Nexia crept up behind the brunette, positioning her face right next to the female human's ear.

"Mikaela! May I speak with you?" Nexia hissed, causing the young female before her to jump. The winged girl snickered as Mikaela whirled around; the brunette had a hand clutched over her heart to try and steady it.

"Sure, Nex. Just…don't sneak up on me next time!" the brunette whispered playfully. Mikaela told Sam that she would be back later, pecking him on the cheek as he nodded. The two females made their way outside the Autobot base, camping down underneath a large square of shadow. It was moderately cool but it was still morning. There was no need to sit in the sun if they were going to be in the open for a long time. Once they were settled Nexia turned to the other female, ready to spill her heart out.

"Ok…Mikaela. I have this problem and I need your help." she said, hanging her head. She looked back, looking into the other girl's eyes. The other girl smiled encouragingly as they sat cross-legged across from each other.

"First I want to ask you a question before I spill my heart out. Mikaela, how would you describe the emotion called love?" she asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity. She was still considered young by Cybertronian standards so she had never experienced that particular emotion before. Mikaela looked shocked for a moment before she smiled softly, placing a hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"Nex…I really can't explain it but I'll try. Love is complicated; It's when your heart beats harder next to that special person and you never want to leave their side. You feel protected and you want to make them happy, even at the cost of your own happiness. You are content just sitting there with them and will feel the urge to be with them through the rest of time." she explained, watching Nexia's eyes glaze over as she seemed to be in deep thought.

Mikaela waited for the winged girl to snap out of her thoughts; she thought of Nexia as a younger sister. The brunette would do almost anything if she thought it would help.

The winged girl thought about her problem and suddenly her thoughts shifted to a certain Search and Rescue Hummer. She thought about the kiss she gave him while they watched the sunset together; and how her cheeks were stained with red after the fact.

Nexia thought about how she would sit on the Autobot medic's desk in the Medical Bay for hours, just watching him work. She enjoyed the fact that she was one of the only beings who could carry out a descent conversation with him. He would never get frustrated with her and he would never snap at her. She sighed, resigning to the fact that she had fallen in love with the battle hardened medic.

Suddenly, a hand startled the winged girl out of her thoughts; she looked up at the sly, smirking girl in front of her as her face flushed. Nexia's face automatically heated up to the point of a tomato as Mikaela's grin widened.

"You're in love with someone, aren't you!?" the brunette squealed, jumping forward and wrapping her arms around Nexia's neck. The Phoenix gasped in surprise as the other girl tackled her in a hug. She smiled slightly at the other girl's happiness; maybe it wouldn't be so bad talking to the brunette after all.

"So…who is the lucky mech?" Mikaela asked, eyes practically sparkling in excitement. She leaned forward so that her face was inches from the winged girl's own face; Nexia's skin flushed red with embarrassment.

"Ratchet. He's just so…amazing." Nexia admitted, watching the other girl's smile grow even wider if possible. Mikaela restrained herself from jumping up and dancing but instead settling on another bone crushing hug. She wrapped her arms around the winged girl, careful of her wings, as both of them giggled like little girls.

"You've got to tell him! I know for a fact that he likes you too. Just think about it!" Mikaela said, suddenly jumping up and tugging on Nexia's hand. She pulled her to her feet but Nexia only shook her head, refusing to move any further. She couldn't think of any way that the Autobot medic treated her differently.

"What if…he doesn't love me back?" Nexia questioned, softly voicing her fears as she lowered her eyes. She buried her head into her arms as she envisioned the horrible outcome of the confrontation; the very thought was sending shivers down her spine.

Mikaela looked down at her friend, eyes full of sympathy; suddenly, her eyes brightened as an idea came to her head. She was sure that if she got the medic in question the winged girl wouldn't be able to deny her feelings. The brunette told Nexia to sit where she was and that she was going to come back in a couple of minutes with a surprise. Nexia only shook her head, a small smile upon her face as she watched her friend disappear into the stronghold.

About an hour later the door to the base opened again but Nexia realized that it was not her female friend. For one thing the person's footsteps were much to heavy to be even human. The winged girl closed her eyes as she waited for the figure to settle down beside her.

Nexia found herself smiling softly as a neon green mech sat down next to her. The two beings turned to each other and locked eyes to optics for a few moments before the medic gently picked the Phoenix up. He carefully set her down on one of his giant legs as they sat together in silence. She was surprised at first but soon relaxed back onto his armored abdomen. The silence lasted for about ten minutes before Ratchet started to speak.

"Mikaela said that you wished to speak with me, but before you speak I wish to tell you something. It is something I have wanted to tell you for a while now." he said nervously, waiting for her to interrupt. When she only looked up at him curiously he figured that it was alright for him to continue speaking.

"Some time now I have been feeling very closely attached to you. I can't get you off my processor no matter how hard I try. What I am trying to say, Nex, is that I-" he said, rudely cut off by a somewhat large explosion a mile or so from the base. It shocked the two beings that were in front of the Autobot base.

Ratchet escaped the debris unscathed but Nexia was forced to take to the air in order to dodge the shrapnel of trees. Her spark necklace was ripped from her neck as the chain was shattered, causing her to cry out. Ratchet dove for it, cradling it with care before it hit the ground, but he was too late.

A medium sized crack had worked its way across the glowing surface; it was almost impossible to see if it was affecting the winged girl through the smoke. Nexia began to loose her strength as she sunk to the ground; her wings were becoming unable to support her. She became pale and dizzy as an evil laughter boomed through the air.

"Starscream." Ratchet hissed, gently but hastily grabbing a hold of Nexia and holding her close to his spark for protection. He used his Communication Systems for backup and then turned his attention to the girl in his clutches. She was paler than before and was trembling slightly but she had a glow of burning determination in her eyes. She shook her head and took to the air against Ratchet's wishes. He wanted to protect her but she was determined to protect herself.

"Where is Starscream?" the winged girl asked, looking around as she hovered in the air. All it took was a moment of distraction for everything to go horribly wrong.

It all happened in slow motion; Starscream appeared out of nowhere and attacked Nexia with his large claws. The claws tore through her skin with a sickening precision, blood spraying through the sky.

The winged girl's scream echoed as she went careening through the air; she hit the metal wall of the base with another sickening thud. Ratchet's fluids ran cold as she slumped motionless to the ground under the cackling jet's gaze. The Autobot medic hoped that she would get up, but his processor flew on the edge of pure panic when her breathing started to slow.

Nexia felt cold and she couldn't move…no matter how hard she tried she couldn't move any of her limbs. She was in severe pain and wished that Ratchet was there to take the pain away from her, even if it meant her death. It was searing through her spine; it was either fractured or broken. The winged girl moved her head slowly, as it was about the only thing that she could do, and was about to call for the neon medic. She wanted him by her side; was that one request so selfish?

The inured girl opened her lips and tried to call out but found that she couldn't speak! Instead blood dribbled through her bloodstained lips as she coughed out the ruby liquid that invaded her lungs.

Starscream raised his clawed hand and was about to crush the inured winged girl but a loud revving sound caught his attention. The jet turned his head when, suddenly, Ratchet came into view, slicing at Starscream's outstretched hand with his energy saw. Nexia wished that she could cheer but she was still immobile. She could, however, smile softly as small black dots started to swim through her vision.

Starscream was about to attack Ratchet with his heat-seeking missals but Ironhide came to the rescue. The large black mech shot at them with his photon cannons, shouting words of reassurance to the medic. Nexia wished that she could understand what the Weapons Specialist was saying but her hearing was beginning to fade. Her head was beginning to pound and black spots were appearing more frequently in her vision. She felt herself being lifted; an immense pain filling her entire being. Then, suddenly, the world faded into black.

Ratchet was frantic as he let Ironhide, Jazz, and Bumblebee take care of the Decepticon as he raced to the Medical Bay. He was running scan over scan on her lifeless body, trying to figure out what had been broken in that devastating impact with the wall. Blood was still oozing from between her parted lips, signaling that she had some internal bleeding.

The Autobot medic ran faster after he realized that she had passed out, probably due to the pain she was experiencing. Her body was so small and fragile…so easy to be broken. Ratchet quickly placed her on one of the human sized medical berths, then transformed into his Search and Rescue hummer mode.

The medic was becoming more frantic as he turned on his holoform, scrambling to hook up machines to the girl. He was about to administer an IV but her eyes fluttered open as she coughed up a small amount of blood. He cursed to himself, the blood confirming the fact she had some sort of internal bleeding. She whimpered at the needle in his hand and twitched, causing the medic to believe that she was trying to shy away.

She coughed up more blood as he quickly injected the needle, causing him to wince at the sight. The Autobot medic cooed quietly to the injured girl, trying to get her to calm down but her eyes closed again as another pained whimper escaped her lips.

Ratchet remembered the cracked spark that he had caught when Starscream attacked the two of them, materializing it from his subspace pocket. He climbed up behind Nexia on the berth and cradled her head against his humanoid chest, adjusting her wings so that they could not be uncomfortable for her. He kissed her forehead as she mumbled incoherently in her unaware state.

The injured winged girl's eyes fluttered as she smiled softly, causing small tears to gather in the medic's holoform eyes. He slipped the spark into one of her hands as he curled his own flesh one around it, squeezing it gently. She smiled again as her eyes slid closed. Her breathing slowed, as did her heartbeat, as she relaxed into a deep sleep. Ratchet watched her and promised himself that he would never leave her side as long as she was injured…and hopefully she would accept him by her side for the rest of eternity.


	11. Admittance

**Know that this chapter has been revised! Please vote on my current Transformers poll. Thank you so much to all who reviewed! Here's a reminder: I don't own Transformers. I only own Nexia.**

**This is one of the shorter revised chapters. Sorry, guys!**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Your reviews always bring a smile to my face. Thank you for your kind words!**

**electrogirl88 - Thanks! Yeah, there really are not many Ratchet stories...aww... anyway Phoenixes are some of my favorite mythical creatures and I'm always interested in Chinese mythology!**

**Elita One - Yup, screamer is one bad mech-dude.**

**Nola1 - I'll try to keep that in mind! I'm not very experienced in writing romance but I'll try my best!**

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**Chapter 10**

**Admittance**

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The unconscious and injured winged girl was floating in a deep black void; there were no sounds and no visible motions. She strained herself to hear correctly but it was so quiet that she could hear a pin drop…if she wasn't the only thing floating in the dark abyss that is.

Her incredible glowing eyes were closed and her slightly passed shoulder length hair floated calmly around her, framing her as it danced in the inky blackness. A soft wind played with the simple yet elegant white spaghetti strap dress she was wearing. It was sort of like the ones that she would wear when she was young.

The dark was eerie but Nexia was fine; she had been in the same place several times when she had been badly hurt when she was little. This was the place in her mind that she came to heal. Her spark was placing her into a coma like sleep in order to use more of its energies to heal her wounds.

While she was immobile her spark could mend itself…if the damage was not too severe. The more damage that was caused to her spark the longer she would be in the coma. The winged girl was healing as a bright silver light and an intertwining deep, fiery red light danced across her shattered spine. Yes, the Decepti-creep Starscream had broken Nexia's spine.

Distantly, the inured winged girl could hear a mech's voice; the voice was carefully winding its way inside her mind. She started twitching inside her mind, wanting to reach out to it as the voice seemed so very familiar. Nexia started struggling within her mind, trying to force her body to respond to the male's voice.

The unconscious winged girl couldn't understand what the male was whispering…but the voice was warm. The way it comforted her fears reminded her of her grandfather, keeping her feeling safe and calmed…even in a tough situation.

Suddenly, the warmth was gone and the dancing lights stopped as she was slowly allowed to sit upright. Nexia found the strength to open her eyes and move her limbs; there was little residual pain but it would be expected from the amount of trauma she had been through.

She looked around and smiled, glad that she was finally healed. Now everyone wouldn't be as worried since she was finally awake. The winged girl twisted around more and soon she was standing in the darkness of her healing sleep; although she was healed she was still caged within her mind. She closed her eyes, slowly opening them again to face the familiar darkness, ready to go back to the real world and face its challenges.

A fiery feeling spread across Nexia's body as her spark healed itself, causing each pore to tingle as it felt like it was waking from a deep sleep. When it was finished healing her spark looked as good as new; in fact it was shining like a newly polished diamond. She smiled excitedly as she closed her eyes once again; this time she was concentrating on Ratchet's facial plates. She wanted to know what he was going to tell her when Starscream had attacked them.

Later she wanted to reveal her feelings to the mech…but she didn't know when the time was right. He had wanted to say something to her before but they got interrupted by that blasted Decepticon.

When the winged girl opened her eyes again they met the bright lights of the Medical Bay. She blinked, bringing a hand to cover her eyes until they adjusted to the searing brightness. Well…it was expected since she was in medical facility.

Nexia blushed as she remembered what had happened just before she passed out completely. Ratchet had stabbed her with an IV; he probably did it so fast because he remembered the incident with the needle. It was a kind gesture…but she could see his terrified expression through her half-lidded eyes. She wondered why the Autobot medic was so scared. It wasn't like she was worth anything important.

She frowned somewhat at the look on his face, the frantic way that he had been treating her. She wasn't anything more than a friend…but the way he had been treating her lately said otherwise. Maybe he did care about her as more that a friend - more than a confidant. She then remembered that Ratchet had helped lull her into her healing sleep, vowing to stay with her until she awoke. Nexia giggled, wondering if he had meant for her to hear that part of his whispered conversation to himself.

True to his word Ratchet's holoform was sound asleep with his head hunched over the side of the bed, resting on the covers near her abdomen. The winged girl raised an eyebrow; she was surprised that he could sleep with his holoform activated.

The Autobot medic had light bags underneath his eyes, a sure sign that he had been missing sleep. One of his hands was holding onto Nexia's other hand, clutching it as if his life depended on it. His grip was firm but soft at the same time. It made the winged girl feel safe.

Ratchet's hand gently squeezed from time to time; it was as if he were reminding himself that she was there. He twitched in his sleep, smiling softly as he squeezed his hand against hers again. She softly squeezed back, watching as the medic's smile widened in his sleep. He sighed softly, eyes twitching again; she refused to wake him since he obviously needed that much needed sleep.

The winged girl smiled softly, not wanting to disturb him but a sharp pain hit her stomach. Nexia blushed as her stomach growled, indicating that it demanded to be fed. She groaned lightly, placing a hand over her stomach, and looked around; there was usually no food in a sterile environment.

The sterile environment proved to be true as there was no food to be found; she was frustrated so she flopped back onto the pillows. She growled lightly to herself and slipped her hand out of Ratchet's, wiping it against the covers. No offense to Ratchet but it was kind of sweaty since it had been in his hand for who knows how long. She glanced at the sleeping figure again, slightly amazed that the movement didn't wake him up. He really must have been exhausted!

Nexia looked around the room once again, this time noticing the flowers, cards, and not to mention that little Asuma was curled against her other side. His fur was sticking up in places so she assumed that he had been worried about her. She reached a hand out to rub down his matted fur, gently giggling from the black kitten's reaction.

The little black kitten jumped, meowing as his eyes snapped open. He jumped up and rubbed against his mistress' face, purring up a storm as she stroked his back. His butt rose in the air as the winged girl lightly scraped her fingernails down the kitten's back. Nexia smiled happily as she continued to rub the kitten's back, a soft smile planted upon her lips.

The winged girl sat up, again, and this time she stayed up; her wings helped her balance. It was then that she noticed that she was in one of her nightgowns from the Lennox house. It was an opaque blue but it was dark enough to cover her private areas. Nexia blushed again, although harder than before, and hoped that it was either Sarah or Mikaela who had changed her.

Nexia's stomach growled again, although this time much louder. It's loud gurgling noise caused a pale blush to dust across her cheeks; Asuma cocked his head to the side as he stared at her stomach in wonder. It was a wonder that it didn't wake the sleeping medic. She turned to face him and chuckled at the small amount of drool that was gathering at the side of his mouth. It was wonderful how realistic that the holoforms were…and if she had a camera she would totally have taken a picture. She decided to take pity on the poor mech and tried to shake him awake.

"Ratch. Ratchet, dear, wake up." she whispered, shaking the holoform's shoulder. Soon she realized it was useless as the mech was out cold. The poor mech looked like he had hardly rested all week. Wait…a week?! Nexia's head snapped to the calendar on the wall, confirming her suspicion. No wonder it looked like the Autobot medic hadn't ingested the proper amount of fuel and energon!

The calendar in question had several scribbles on it and after further examination it had several frowns and smiley faces drawn on it, courtesy of Sam most likely. The winged girl's smile quickly turned into a frown. She sighed, knowing that she had caused a lot of worry. She bowed her head in frustration; everywhere she went she either caused trouble or she caused everyone to worry about her. Everything was always her fault…and she felt horrible.

An annoying beeping noise caught her attention, causing her to turn. She was too busy caught up in her thoughts to realize that it was there before…but now that she noticed it the sound greatly grated on her nerves. It was only noticed when she began to get restless, wanting to get out of the medical room. After a while of inspecting the room her eye caught sight of a gray machine - a heart monitor.

Nexia bit her lip, ashamed at herself for causing so much trouble. While it was true that her soul resided outside of her body she still needed a heart to keep her blood flowing.

The winged girl took hold of the sticky patches that were attached to her chest and began to peel them off. She cringed at the pulling sensation that the patches caused her skin but sighed in relief when they began to give way. Once the last of the sticky patches was off her chest the line on the machine flashed red, going flat, and released a long shrill beep. Anybody who wasn't in the room would think that she went into cardiac arrest because of the shrillness of the beep.

The sleeping Autobot medic snapped awake, instantly alert; his processor was going into overdrive. His head swerved to the heart monitor and his spark froze at the familiar sound. He jerked his head back to her body and thanked Primus about a hundred times when he found Nexia sitting on the bed, awake and smiling sheepishly. She waved to him, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.

He notably calmed down when he saw the heart monitor patches in her hand. He launched himself forward and gathered her in his arms, wrapping his arms tightly around her shoulders. He buried his nose in her hair, smelling the exhilarating scent and mumbling words to himself and to her. His spark ached in relief, thanking anyone that came to his processor that she was alright. She smiled as well, enjoying the sensation of being wrapped in a loving embrace. It had been centuries since that had last happened.

Finally, Ratchet rose and turned off the machine as the other Autobots, plus the humans, came crashing into the room. It was actually pretty quiet once the noise of the heart monitor was shut off. Ironhide was about to demand that Ratchet tell him what was going on but cut himself off when he saw Nexia was sitting up and awake. She waved at all of them, a sheepish smile still plastered across her face as Ratchet smirked at the bunch.

Ironhide shook his massive black head, making sure that his optics were not failing him before he smirked at the medic. They shared a look before Ratchet sent a look of feigned annoyance to his best friend. The weapons specialist left, mumbling about false alarms, but Bee, Wheeljack, Hound, and Jazz stayed behind with the humans. Optimus left as soon as he made sure that Nexia was alive and well, giving the excuse that he needed to fill out more paperwork.

"I'm sorry guys. False alarm. It won't happen again." she said, smiling sheepishly and holding up the sticky patches. Sam, Mikaela, and Will all laughed while looking between her face and the dangling patches. They all mingled in the corner of the room but Sarah rushed forward and wrapped the winged girl in a huge hug. The other humans laughed at her bewildered face as the older woman tightened her hug.

"I was so worried! I thought you would never wake up! And then you started glowing red and silver…nobody knew what was going on!" she exclaimed, hugging the somewhat shocked girl. Nexia looked down at the woman who held her in her arms, eventually raising her own arms and wrapping them around the blond woman. The winged girl smiled softly at her, reassuring her that she was alright.

One by one the Autobots activated their holoforms and crowded around the edge of the bed, giving her hugs in return. She smiled as they hugged her, feeling a warm and fuzzy feeling come back whenever her spark was happy. It engulfed her, filling her frame with a tender and loving feeling. This was her family and she felt safe while in their presence. When all of the worried exclamations and explanations were over everyone sat back, talking about anything that came to mind.

"You know, Nex, Ratchet never left the room when you were in that coma. He was constantly monitoring you. The only times he left were when he was dangerously low on energon." Mikaela said slyly, elbowing the winged girl in the side. Sam came over as well, snickering at the look of shock and embarrassment on the medic's face.

Nexia started, face burning in surprised embarrassment, and instantly turned to face the medic's holoform. It was cute, his head was lowered and a faint blush was dusted across his pale cheeks. Nexia instantly flushed as well, a blush spreading across her face as the others laughed at them.

Then, to add to her embarrassment, Nexia's stomach growled. The sound that her stomach produced echoed through the room, catching the attention of the other people in the room. The others laughed even louder as Ratchet dismissed his holoform, ushering the others out of the room. He then left himself, returning minutes later with a plate of food.

"Oh, wow! Thanks! I was starving." Nexia said, smiling widely at the medic. Ratchet actiated his holoform once again, sitting down in a the same chair as before to watch her eat. She was done within minutes and they sat there quietly, watching each other, until a thought popped into her head. The Autobot medic was going to tell her something before Starscream attacked them…but he never got the chance since she was injured. It was times like then she resented the fact that she was so susceptible to damage…even though she healed well enough.

"Ratchet," she began, gaining his attention. His blonde hair fell over his glasses as he turned his head. He quickly pushed the bangs away from his face as he moved closer to the bed. The winged girl giggled at him, however, as his bangs fell in front of his glasses once again, giving him a slightly boyish look. It didn't matter; he was still handsome in her eyes.

"What were you going to say to me before Starscream attacked us? You were going to say something…but what was it?" she asked, pushing those pesky strands of hair away from his face. Ratchet's eyes widened, taken by surprise as his processor tried to form the correct words. Now was his chance! He mentally berated himself has his words ran dry. He tried to form something but it was like his processor had frozen…he couldn't form the words that he wanted to say!

"Well…if you don't want to tell me now…can I tell you something? It's been plaguing my mind for a while…and I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you. Now would be the best time I suppose." she asked, becoming nervous. The blond holoform nodded his head, interest piqued as he wondered what his beloved wanted to tell him.

Nexia gripped the sheets on the human sized bed, biting her lip as she tried to formulate the words within her mind. Her wings twitched, showing the holoform in front of her exactly how anxious she was. Ratchet took the winged girl's hand to try to encourage her, but only succeeded in making her even more nervous. Ratchet's spark fluttered, desperately wanting to know what she wanted to tell him. If it was making her so nervous it must be something that was special.

"Don't think low of me…but…" she trailed off, not knowing how to continue. She paused for a bit, unsure how to continue but the somewhat excited sparkle in Ratchet's eyes pressured for her to continue. She held her breath but she could hold her words within her no longer.

"I'm in love with you! I've been in love with you for a long time…" she blurted out, gasping, and covering her mouth with the hand that was not held captive by the medic. She was extremely uncomfortable now that her words were hanging out in the open.

The neon mech gasped loudly as well, eyes widening in surprise. This was the last thing that he was expecting! His processor was reeling and his mouth became even dryer. He knew that he should say something but nothing was forming in his mouth.

She was expecting an answer and every second that he did not reply her heart was breaking into thousands of tiny pieces. After an eternity he finally got his mouth working but he was too late. She hung her head and smiled sadly, looking at their intertwined hands. She slowly pulled her hand from his; the look on her face was crushing his spark as well.

"I told Mikaela I shouldn't have told you. Look at me. I look so stupid. Why would you love someone like me? I'm not even in your species." she mumbled, tears gathering in her eyes. They sparkled in the light of the Medical Bay, crushing Ratchet's spark even further.

Ratchet had had enough as he snatched back her hand; she tried to pull away but he gripped it tighter, pulling her forward into a bone crushing hug. His eyes were ablaze with something she could not recognize…but felt as if she should.

"Don't you DARE say those kinds of things! You are worthy enough for me. Don't even think that you aren't." he all but yelled. He held onto her as she stopped struggling; he sighed as he buried his face into her hair, stroking her wings. She started struggling again but froze when she felt his mouth next to her ear. Now that she was somewhat calm he took the chance to tell the winged girl before him his feelings before it could be ruined with something else.

"I love you too. I always have." he whispered, nuzzling the size of her neck in an intimate gesture. She sighed, leaning into the embrace of her newfound lover. She smiled and brought her arms up around his neck in a loose hug, nuzzling her face against his chest. He ran his arms down her back and fingered the base of her wings - one of the most sensitive areas of a Phoenix's back. The small action caused her to shiver and relax into his embrace. Once she was calmed down enough they parted, looking deep into each others eyes.

"But…what about Moonracer? What if she's still somehow alive?" she asked sadly, bowing her head again. She couldn't even remember a time where she was being so emotional. Ratchet took a deep breath and removed his glasses. He pressed his forehead against hers as he began talking.

"Nexia, I love you, not Moonracer. She is but only a memory. She died thousands of years ago. You are my only love now. I love only you." he said, pressing his lips against hers in a small, sweet kiss.

They broke apart, smiling at each other. They were about to kiss again but she suddenly yawned, bringing a hand up to her mouth. Ratchet chuckled, climbing up on the bed and laying down with her, and wrapping an arm around her waist and bringing her close. She nuzzled her face into his neck, placing a small kiss against his skin as he shuddered in delight.

She happily settled up against his chest and rested her cheek on the soft material of his lab coat. She then brought one of her wings around them, leaving the to fall asleep in peace.


	12. Nexia's find Can I keep him?

**Authors note!! -This chapter has been revised! I don't own Transformers. I only own Nexia, Asuma, and Kenai.**

**Thanks to:**

**electrogirl88 - Thanks! Yeah, things will get more interesting...if you know what I mean **

**Stesuna the Dragon - Yeah, I tried! I think Nexia and Ratchet make a cute couple!**

**Elita One - Yeah, they are so stubborn!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Nexia's Find. Can I Keep Him?**

* * *

A month later and the humans find themselves at the start of Summer vacation. You can just imagine how excited they were to be able to hang at the base any time they wished. Sam and Mikaela are still a couple, and so are Ratchet and Nexia. The two have almost been inseparable, and although she still stayed at the Lennox household Ratchet picked her up and took her to the base almost every day.

Nexia's spark healed itself the night they admitted their love to each other; it glowed brighter each day due to her immense feeling of happiness. Other than that Optimus received a message that two new Autobots were on their way to Earth. He did not, however, know the exact time they would be entering the Earth's atmosphere. They would have to play it by ear…and they didn't even know which Autobots they were.

Nexia could not have been any happier than she was but, unfortunately, she could not spend any time with Ratchet at the moment. The medic was currently fixing Ironhide, who had popped an energon line in his hip. It was the same hip that he had injured a millennia back on Cybertron and Ratchet didn't have the proper amount of metal to fix it. They could have requested it from Secretary Keller but the Autobots wanted to remain in seclusion…in order to protect the humans on Earth.

Ratchet refused to let the winged girl enter the Medical Bay when he was working on any of his fellow Autobots, saying that things could get dangerous because of her small size. He would never forgive himself if anything should happen to her when she was in his Medical Bay. Ratchet had allowed her to roam in the wilderness for a few hours, as long as she stayed within seeing distance of the entrance to the base. Jazz was manning the security cameras and would be able to see her if she was in any danger.

Wheeljack, much to the surprise of the others, had made a brilliant upgrade to the technology on Nexia's katana. It was something that didn't explode, much to Ratchet's delight. Now, the winged girl could press a button on the hilt and it would automatically let all the Autobots know of her coordinates and that she was in danger. He also installed a better communications system, kind of like the com-link the Autobots used…however to her it was kind of like telepathy.

It was nearly eleven in the afternoon when the happy winged girl flew in the security room, alerting Jazz to her presence. She landed on his shoulder, a pleading look on her face. The short silver bot knew that she was up to something…but since the Decepticons had been lying low he knew that he would probably crack.

"Jazz? Do you think I could go for a short flight? I'm getting fidgety…and I promise to stay within the base security camera parameters!" the small figure on his shoulder pleaded, pulling out her secret weapon: the puppy dog eyes.

Jazz's mind was correct. His resolve had crumbled even before she drew her secret weapon. With a sigh and a nod of his head she let out a soft cry of joy and victory. She quickly pecked the silver mech's cheek and was out the door of the base before he could either protest or blink. He chuckled to himself before turning back to the computer monitor - it was back to the boring job he had been assigned to.

Minutes later Nexia sighed; she was enjoying her flight through the air as the wind slipped through each feather. She was wearing the mesh outfit that Mikaela helped her pick out the day at the mall. She swore that Ratchet was going to either faint or have a nosebleed and his holoform's skin turned deathly pale. She smiled as he practically ushered her into his alt mode in order to have her all to himself.

In truth the winged girl was restless…but that wasn't the only reason that she wanted to go on the flight. She was lonely since Ratchet was in the Medical Bay all morning…and since she was lonely her memories started to attack her mind once again. This time, however, they were memories of old from Cybertron - more importantly they were memories from when her home was attacked.

* * *

_Everything was burning and smoke was billowing everywhere. She still had trouble flying sometimes but she was more adept at flying than others…it was just her endurance. A building crashed in front of her as her grandfather called out her name along with Orion Pax, her grandfather's friend._

_She opened her mouth to respond but an evil chuckle cut her off. The young winged girl crashed into something hard and started falling to the ground, aware of her grandfather's horrified cries. She beat her wings frantically but was jerked away from the falling sensation as something wrapped around her frail body._

_Whoever was holding her had a tight grip…and it started to get tighter as every second passed. She looked up to the giant figure, noticing a giant purple face imprinted on his chest plates. _

"_Let her go! We've done you no harm so you shouldn't harm her!" Orion cried, trying to pry the other figure's hands from around her frail body. With one shot Orion was sent reeling; his chest plates were sparking and she knew he would never be the same._

"_I am a Decepticon. We feed off fear and destruction." the figure holding her grinned, squeezing her as she felt her bones break. She screamed as her grandfather hit him with an extremely powerful Phoenix fire blast but it was too late. Nexia plummeted to the ground and screamed one last time before her world went black._

* * *

The winged girl shook her head to clear it from her horrific memories. She looked up and smiled widely when she saw the clearing she was heading for; she was lucky for it was still in the seeing distance of the cameras of the base. This way Jazz wouldn't get in trouble and Ratchet wouldn't lecture her.

The clearing was a small one - smaller than the one she went to with Ironhide. It was a serene place she like to go to whenever Ratchet was busy at the city hospitals or working on one of the other mechs. She usually spent her time in the trees…or talking to the small creatures who drank from the small pool of water that sometimes forms from the rain. Nexia cared for the animals, helping them out from time to time if they were inured.

Nexia took a deep breath and looked at the beautiful scenery, enjoying all the different colors. Back on Cybertron all the colors were dull and gloomy, but here, on Earth, things were bright and vibrant. No more black and grey colors; everything could be a different color…or even multiple ones!

The winged girl landed on the ground before approaching the thicket around the clearing. There was a little brook, where she and the animals got their fresh water, and a small pond where she could swim. These were the bodies of water that didn't need rain to survive. Nexia smiled at her animal friends, glad that they would trust her. She needed someone to trust right now…and to be near someone who couldn't talk. She just needed silence.

Nexia made her way to the small area where the red foxes lived, hoping to see her good friends. Most of the foxes were tricksters, liking to play tricks on the other animals but the winged girl knew better. They haven't been able to play any tricks on her…but she was able to make friends with most of them anyway.

She quickened her steps when she heard the whimpering of an animal; a fox she assumed. It sounded like some sort of cross between a humanized cry and the bark of a dog. The winged girl came around a tree and gasped when she saw a mother fox lying on her side, obviously dead, with a small kit next to her. Blood was strewn everywhere…it looked like the mother fox was attacked.

Nexia's breath hitched as another memory suddenly attacked her. The scene splayed out before her reminded her of the time one of her friends from Cybertron was killed by a Decepticon. This was before she was sent out into space…but it pained her knowing that she wasn't able to help him.

* * *

"_Nexia you have to run! You're too young to fight back!" the voice of a young male Cybertronian Phoenix exclaimed, pushing a slightly younger Nexia out of the door. She turned back to him, tears freely streaming down her face._

"_No, Byron! I want to fight with you. I've been practicing my fire magic and I've become stronger!" the young Nexia shouted back, putting a hand on the doorframe to keep him from pushing her any further._

_The rumble of the building took their attention and they screamed as the building collapsed. When the rubble cleared away Nexia could only see the crushed spark of one of her best friends. _

"_Byron!! No!" she exclaimed as she witnessed the splatter of blood along the walls. The crushed spark was proof enough that her friend was dead._

* * *

Nexia was pulled back to the present by the mournful cry of the little fox. The kit was holding his right forepaw in the air, a sign that it hurt him whenever he placed any sort of pressure on it. The winged girl's eyes softened as she approached the pair; the Kit was nudging his mother's side. He let out a pitiful cry when his mother would not move, causing Nexia's spark to clench painfully.

"Oh, you poor thing. Does it hurt much?" she murmured, taking a step towards the kit. He backed away from her towering frame, whimpering pitifully as she stepped closer. Nexia froze, perfectly aware that she was scaring the animal.

Thinking quickly she kneeled down to his eye level and started to hum, the sweet tunes calming the fox's cries down to mewls, and finally down to nothing. He seemed to like the sweet humming as he sat down, cocking his head to the side. She took that moment to creep closer, folding the wings tighter against her back as to not intimidate him. She held out a hand for him to sniff and froze, letting him make the first move.

The little fox crept forward extremely slowly, sniffing Nexia's hand carefully. The fox must have liked the scent of her hand as he started licking it, rubbing his head against her palm. He seemed more like a cat instead of a fox…but she wasn't complaining.

Nexia smiled and gathered the small bundle into her arms, taking to the sky. She went slowly…but quickly gained altitude as the wind currents caught her wings. She knew the sudden action would scare the poor kit but she wanted to make sure that his forepaw was alright.

The winged girl flapped her wings harder to catch an updraft, letting the little fox bury its head in her stomach. The little kit was cute when he was scared as it started whimpering…but she knew it was cruel to let him think she would let him fall. About twenty minutes later she landed in front of the Autobot base, waving to the Security camera, and Jazz, who was still on security duty.

The doors to the base swished open, granting access to the young winged girl and the fox kit she was holding. She made a beeline for the Medical Bay, assuming by the length that she had been gone that Ratchet would be done. The Autobot medic didn't like to put up with Ironhide's complaining, even though the black weapons specialist was Ratchet's best friend.

Asuma wandered up next to her and started rubbing against her ankles when she landed, causing her to chuckle at his curiosity. He meowed to the bundle in Nexia's arms, causing the bundle to bark back quietly. Asuma's ears perked forward and he pawed at Nexia's legs, begging to be picked up as well. Ratchet and Wheeljack had done well; the small black kitten rarely used his claws and never used them against his owner.

"Sorry, Asuma, dear. This is a one animal load. I can't carry you both at the same time." she said, looking down at the black cat apologetically. The small cat sat back and pouted but settled on following Nexia when she moved. It was a long walk to the Medical Bay but she had the time to bond with her newfound friend.

Nexia continued to walk to the Medical Bay, not wanting to fly and injure her precious load any longer. Finally, she reached the familiar pair of sliding doors that led to Ratchets "Man-cave." When she entered the medic in question looked up with a scowl implanted on his face. His scowl softened into a soft smile when his optics settled on his lover, motioning for her to join him. She flew up to the desk, but instead of landing on his shoulder she landed on his desk, moving an arm to reveal the injured kit.

"Now, what do we have, here?" he asked, focusing his optics on the kit. Nexia smiled sheepishly and stroked the kit's head, causing him to start purring. Nexia and Ratchet shared a look and started chuckling, enjoying being near one another again. The little one in the winged girl's grasp started struggling, wanting to be let down. She gave in, setting the little fox on the desk…but she kept an eye on him to make sure that he didn't fall off.

"I found him. In the woods…don't look at me like that! I was in the small thicket near the base!" she said, ignoring the exasperated look on his facial plates. She grinned cheekily up at him and continued her story as she kept an eye on the little fox. Asuma meowed from the floor so the Autobot medic gently picked him up and set him on the table to bond with the little fox.

"I found him wailing over his dead mother. I think his forepaw is injured…so…will you take a look at him? For me?" she asked the medic, puckering up her bottom lip and widening her eyes. The winged girl's eyes watered up as she blinked, willing the tears to come forward. Ratchet's resolve melted like butter and his optics softened even more. He couldn't say no to his little Phoenix.

"Sure thing, love. You don't even have to ask." he said, booting up his scanners. The winged girl scooped up the fox, who let out a yelp of protest, but she held on tight despite his wriggling. Nexia held the kit out in front of her as his scanners flew from Ratchet's optics. Within seconds the scan was complete and he activated his holoform. The human version of Ratchet calmly walked over to the pair and prodded at the fox's forepaw.

"His paw is sprained… probably from the attack on him and his mother. If I squeeze it in the right place I can fix it, though." he explained, adjusting his glasses further up his nose.

His bright blue eyes sparkling as she smiled happily, kissing the blond holoform on the cheek as a reward. He gripped the good paw of the fox, feeling around for the bone, then he gripped the bad paw. He squeezed and a small pop was heard as well as a small yelp from the fox. Nexia set the fox own on its own feet, watching the fox as it started to prance around happily. Ratchet grinned at his success and was awarded with another kiss on the lips from his girl.

"Do you think Optimus will let me keep him? He can keep Asuma company when I am not at home or here." she asked, looking up with the medic with hope in her eyes. He looked thoughtful for a moment before he slowly smiled. He took her hand in his larger one, trailing circles on the back of her smaller hand with his thumb.

"I don't see why not. Go ask Optimus. He is a fair mech and I'm sure that he'll let you keep the little fox." he said, turning he around and pinching her side, causing her to jump and giggle as she swatted his hand away. She scooped up the little kit and flew out through the double doors. She paused in the hallway, throwing a wink back to the smirking medic.

The winged girl flew through the control room, past a disgruntled Ironhide and Hound. Ironhide was used to her flying antics but since Hound was always out scouting he yelled out in surprise when Nexia zipped in front of his face. He pushed himself backwards in order to see her more clearly but lost his balance, instead falling back on his metallic aft.

"Sorry, Hound! I won't do it again! At least not today." Nexia apologized, grinning at the forest green mech. He scowled as Ironhide barked out a laugh, slapping Hound on the back when the forest green mech managed to right himself. Nexia laughed and yelled out another apology as she disappeared around the corner.

Soon the Phoenix reached Optimus' office, which was actually labeled for everyone's convenience. She landed on the ground, laughing when the kit tried to jump out of her arms once again. This time she learned her lesson; she held onto the kit as he tired himself out.

He finally gave up, however, when the girl holding him wouldn't release her iron grip. The girl knocked on the great set of double sliding doors and smiled when she got an answer. The fox in her arms relaxed when the double doors opened; he tensed up again, however, when they entered the foreboding room.

"Please enter." Optimus' great voice reverberated throughout the hallway. The winged girl walked closer to the doors as they opened even wider; when they had finished opening the girl took to the air once again…much to the little fox's disgruntlement. She flew towards the great Autobot Leader, settling down upon his gargantuan desk. He paused in his work, taking his optics off the huge computer screen to look at the winged girl before him. Optimus smiled warmly at the girl who became like a daughter to him.

"What can I do for you, little one?" he asked kindly, optics softening at her nervous look. The winged girl bit her lip and held out the fox kit, who promptly started to sniff around. Optimus' optics focused on the small ball of fur blinking in curiosity. She smiled slightly and started to explain the situation to the Autobot leader. He waited patiently as Nexia considered her words carefully.

"I found this little guy in the woods, injured, and brought him back to Ratchet. Ratchet fixed his paw and…well…I just fell in love with the little guy. Can I keep him?" she asked, using the classic puppy dog pout. No mech was any match for the awesome powers of the puppy dog pout.

The winged girl widened her eyes as they became glassy as well as pushing out her lower lip slightly. The lower lip started quivering and the leader's resolve melted away, much like her lover's, as he smiled warmly at the Phoenix.

"There is but one problem that you are to solve." he said, watching the girl furrow her eyebrows in thought. What problem was there that she was supposed to fix?

"What?" she finally asked, quizzically looking back at the mech.

"What are you going to name him?" Optimus asked, smiling widely at the girl's happy face. She thought for a moment before breaking out in another room-lighting smile. Suddenly, another memory hit her. It seemed like the memories were never going to end.

* * *

"_What are you going to name them, Grandfather?" a slightly younger Nexia asked the elderly Phoenix. They had just rescued a pair of young children from the evil forces of the Decepticons. The children had yet to be named and it was all up to her grandfather._

"_Well, my dear, I think I will name the little lady…Seraphim. The young boy I shall name…Kenai." the elderly Phoenix replied, lowering the two bundles into Nexia's arms. She smiled, pecking her grandfather on the cheek as she flew to the medic's tent._

"_Kenai…Seraphim…what wonderful names." the teenaged form of Nexia commented as she handed the two babes to the head nurse. The elderly woman agreed as she fixed a bottle of formula for the babes._

* * *

Nexia shook her head from the happy memory, looking down at the kit. He had the same type of eyes that the male Phoenix child had when he was a baby. That decided her name…she was going to name him after the Phoenix child.

"How about Kenai?" she asked. Optimus smiled back at the excited teen before nodding his head and showing his approval. She squealed, hugging the great mech's hand before taking off into the air with the small fox in her arms. Optimus looked on with a warm feeling in his spark as he turned back to his blasphemous paperwork. At least Nexia knew how to brighten his day.


	13. Meet the Twins!

**Authoress Note: **

**Thanks to the reviewers! They really give me inspiration!**

**electrogirl88 - Thank you! Foxes are my favorite animals so I thought I would add one in my story. **

**Stesuna the Dragon - I agree, foxes are cute! Thanks for the review!**

**Elita One - Yup, I personally like the name Kenai.**

**Hey, I recently posted another story called "The Man Behind The Legend". It is basically a prequal to the movie The Forbidden Kingdom. Please read that, if you are interested of course, and tell me what you think!**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Meet the Twins**

* * *

The early morning light shone through the small window of the attic, lighting the small room that served as the winged girl's bedroom. Nexia was still sleeping soundly but the lone stray of light shone directly in her eyes, causing her to stir. Mumbling incoherently she rolled over, trying to fall back asleep…but it was too late. The sun had already caused her to rise and it was time to start a new day.

The winged girl opened her eyes and smiled at the sight of Asuma and Kenai curled up around each other. Nexia rose, stretching out the kinks in her wings as she ascended in the air. She got out of bed and dressed in a pair of black cargo shorts and a silver tank with a very low back. This was after she had used the small shower connected to the attic of course. She stretched again as Asuma and Kenai stirred, waking up with blurry eyes.

"Come on, sleepyheads. It's time for breakfast." Nexia laughed quietly as the little black kitten fell off the bed. Kenai shook his head in shock before looking over the edge of the comforter, eyes wide. Asuma was fine but he was giving himself a bath - something that cats were prone to do whenever they were embarrassed.

The winged girl left the attic as quietly as she could, trying not to wake Sara, Will, and little Annabelle. Nexia had grown fond of the little girl, getting over her fear of humans as quickly as she could. Now, whenever the two adult humans went on a date, she would take care of the little girl.

Nexia arrived in the kitchen a short time later. She hoped that the owners of the ranch would stay in bed until she was done; she was going to make them breakfast. It was one of the reasons she woke early; the other reason was that she wanted to repay the humans for letting her stay at the ranch. The winged girl looked through the cabinets and raided the fridge, finally settling on eggs and bacon.

"Well…here we go." she said, taking a deep breath and setting her face. This was her first attempt at cooking breakfast in a long while. While she was in captivity…there was no need for cooking. She would get bread and water…if she was lucky. They were cruel to her since they knew she couldn't die because of hunger.

Nexia sprayed one of the pans, so that the eggs would not stick, and cracked them one at a time. She them scrambled them with a spatula, making enough scrambled eggs for three people. Little Annabelle was still to young to eat regular human food. As a side thought the winged girl took out a small selection of the mashed baby food that Sarah had stored in the cabinets.

When the eggs were done she peeled off four pieces of bacon from the pile in the fridge and plopped them on the pan, using the spray to allow them to sizzle. She popped four pieces of bead in the toaster, then going back to attend her bacon before it burned. She only used four pieces because she hated to eat meat…but eggs were fine.

Just as the bacon became crisp enough the toast jumped out of the toaster, causing her to squeak as she tried to catch them. She put the toast on the small plates, then grabbed the bacon and slid them on the bigger plate as two sleepy adults and one child appeared in the doorway. Nexia turned surprised; she wasn't expecting the humans to wake as soon as they did.

"Whoa! That smells great!" Will exclaimed, pulling a seat away from the table. He sat and eagerly began eating as the smiling Phoenix placed the plate of food in front of him. The winged girl blushed, scratching the back of her neck in embarrassment.

"I'm glad you like it, Will." she said, setting another plate in front of his wife. She indicated the selection of baby food to Sarah, face brightening as she smiled.

"Thank you, Nexia. This was very thoughtful of you." Sarah thanked, hugging the winged girl. Nexia was now used to Sarah's random acts of kindness so she gently hugged the older woman back. Sarah let go and set up the toddler chair for little Annabelle, who was just turning a year old.

Nexia set a plate down for herself, watching the blond woman who was busy trying to get a fussy child to eat her strained carrots. The winged girl only ate the eggs because she was adamantly against eating meat, as stated before. Just as Will was about to start on his bacon and toast the special telephone Secretary Defense Keller installed started ringing. Will hung his head and leaned back, grabbing the phone from its cradle.

"Hello?" he said, kind of irritated that someone interrupted his breakfast. He sighed, a bit grumpy as Nexia laughed into her breakfast.

"Yeah, this is Will…yeah…Are you serious?! They're landing today?!" the brunette man yelped, suddenly standing from his chair. His quick motions caused his chair to fall backwards, almost causing the poor soldier to trip over the chair as well. Nexia laughed at the man, whose eyes were shining with excitement and his mouth was curved upward into a giant grin. He hung up the phone in a rush and dashed upstairs, quickly getting dressed. He rushed back down the stairs and grabbed Nexia by the arm, gently squeezing.

"The Autobots are coming. We're expecting a landing." was all the brunette man said as he dragged her outside, Ratchet and Ironhide pulling up next to the porch. Nexia's eyes softened as the Search and Rescue hummer's door opened, revealing the holoform beckoning inside. A gentle look was resting upon his handsome face as well as he gazed upon her winged form.

The winged girl left Will's side and dismissed her wings as she climbed into the vehicle. The door closed behind her as she looked into his bright blue eyes. They leaned forward and lightly kissed each other, their first kiss of the day. She wrapped her arms around Ratchet's neck, nibbling on his lip as they deepened the kiss. The blond holoform wrapped his arms around her waist as he opened his mouth, letting her tongue enter. A sharp blaring horn forced them apart, both blushing slightly from being caught.

"Well…we should go. Who knows the state the new arrivals will be in." Ratchet said, holoform dissipating as the vehicle started to move. They exited the Lennox's ranch grounds and began traveling south. All was quiet until Nexia started stroking his leather, smirking while he started to moan quietly with pleasure. He hadn't intended for her to hear the moans…but she was giving him a feeling of deep pleasure.

"We have plenty of time for that later, love." she laughed; her laugh eventually calmed down as she thought about the possible Autobots who were coming to Earth.

"So…who is coming to Earth?" she asked, lightly scraping her nails down the armrest of her seat. This caused him to emit a particularly loud moan as the whole cab seemed to shudder. She smirked because she knew that he thought she was done.

The winged girl laughed at his reaction and stopped her ministrations as she imagined his holoform's pouting face. His eyes would be squinted behind his glasses and his lips would be drawn in a pout - it was a side that only Nexia was allowed to see.

They came to a halt as they approached the landing site, allowing Nexia a chance to stretch. The winged girl stretched her wings as she left the safety of Ratchet's cab, flying gracefully through the air. After a while she landed, smiling at the Search and Rescue vehicle. She climbed up on her lover's hood, leaning back as he materialized his holoform again. His face was set in a soft smile as his sandy blonde hair fell into his face. He kissed her forehead softly before he replied to her previous question.

"We don't know. All we know is that they are Autobots, there are two of them, and that one is injured. We might be in need of your services as I don't have some of the appropriate tools with me." he said, placing his kaki clad legs on either side of her body. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he placed a soft kiss on the skin of her neck. She sighed as she leaned back against his well-toned body, fingering the soft material of his lab coat. They watched they sky and the scanners for any sign of the two mechs. Suddenly, when Ratchet was about to offline from boredom, Nexia jumped up and pointed from the sky.

"Look! The Autobots have breeched the atmosphere!" she shouted pointing to the fast falling meteors. The other Autobots gathered around Ratchet and Nexia, murmuring in anxiousness. The two falling robots soon crashed into the Earth, spending pieces of dirt everywhere.

Ratchet immediately covered Nexia's body with his holoform, protecting it from the larger clumps. She closed her eyes, gripping the material of his lab coat as she whimpered. She wasn't expecting the explosion to be as loud as it was; it brought back memories of the attacks on Cybertron.

Ratchet tightened his grip around Nexia's waist, murmuring words of reassurance in her ear. Eventually, she calmed down; she smiled up at the worried form of the Autobot medic and kissed him on the cheek, thanking him for protecting her.

When the shower of Earth had ended a series of gears shifting and the Cybertronian language could be heard. The winged girl lifted her head past Ratchet's shoulder to see a large yellow mech hovering worriedly over an equally large red mech. Apparently the red one was the one who was injured as he was gripping a large wound in his side…which was leaking Energon.

"Oh no…not **them**. They are the bane of my existence." Ratchet sighed, burying his head into his hands. The winged girl giggled and stood, catching the yellow mech's attention. The Autobot medic glared at the yellow mech when he noticed him eyeing his Nexia, standing as well and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Hey, I'm Nexia. It's nice to meet you guys. What are your designations, Autobots?" she asked, revealing her wings and taking to the sky. The two new figures watched her with awe evident on their facial plates. The winged girl giggled again as she hovered in front of the yellow one's face.

Ratchet dismissed his holoform and transformed along with Ironhide and they approached the new mechs. Nexia waited until they were settled and landed on the chest armor of the red one, still looking the yellow one in the optics. He glared at her, practically daring her to cause him to attack her. Nexia was taken aback, glancing at the red mech out of the corner of her eye. The red one shrugged as if to say that the yellow mech did it all the time and it was nothing new.

The look still unnerved her, though. She shivered, remembering the blazing optics of the Decepticons. She did her best and remained calm since she knew that Autobots would never attack one who was unarmed. She finally turned her gaze down to the one who was injured, assessing the damage from his side.

"The yellow grump of a mech is my brother, Sunstreaker. I, on the other hand, am Sideswipe. Nice to meetcha." the red one answered from underneath her. She nodded her head, not replying since she was still assessing the damages. Nexia leaned down further, almost sticking her face next to the injury. she winced at the sight of sparking wires and energon was flowing all over the place.

Sideswipe moaned in pain as Ratchet started to fix the wires and moaned even louder when the Autobot medic started to staunch the flow of Energon. When he was done there was still a jagged gash down his chest armor. Ratchet swore, causing all the mechs, plus Nexia, to look at him. He looked back at them, a sad gleam in his optics.

The winged girl knew something was wrong as he hadn't fixed the wound in the injured mech's side. Nexia bit her lip as she surveyed the damage again. It was better, now that the wound in his chest was temporarily fixed but he was still loosing a lot of Energon. Sideswipe's optics were flickering, sending his brother into another bout of nervousness.

"What is it, love?" Nexia asked, looking up at her lover in confusion. She knew that there was one wound not fixed but she couldn't recognize the problem. The winged girl looked back down at the open wound, then at his arm compartment - where his welding tool was located. She then realized the problem and her eyes widened.

"In the rush I forgot to refuel my welding tools. I suppose I could use my own Energon to power the tools… but then it would only weld his armor back temporarily. It might reopen on the way back to the base." Ratchet said, berating himself for not being properly prepared. He furrowed his eyebrow ridges, trying to think of a possible solution.

"There is no way that I would let you use your own Energon! What if you collapsed back to the base? Wheeljack only has a limited knowledge on healing so who would heal you? I can't restore Energon…I can only heal!" Nexia ranted, shaking her finger at the Autobot medic. At first he looked taken aback but his face soon softened at the obvious show of worry that his lover was showing.

"There is no other solution." Ratchet tried to argue with her. He tried to be the stern medic that his reputation displayed but his facial plates betrayed his emotions. His voice was tender as he gazed down at the beautiful Phoenix girl.

"Yes there is. **I** can heal him…although I'm not sure if I'll faint or not." she said, running a hand through her hair. Sideswipe was still leaking Energon so they had to settle the problem as soon as possible. Ratchet looked at both the positives and the negatives of the situation but he couldn't risk Nexia's health by letting her heal Sideswipe. As he was figuring out the problem the winged girl took the situation into her own hands.

The winged girl looked back and forth between the medic and Sideswipe's wound, finally deciding to heal the wound herself. She looked back at her lover one last time as Ironhide placed a gigantic hand on Ratchet's shoulder. Her eyes bored into his optics, silently begging him to let her do this. He finally gave up, sighing and throwing his hands into the air.

"Fine, but if you feel faint or **anything** tell me." He said, glaring at her stubbornly. She giggled, turning back to the situation at hand.

"Say no more, love. I'll be careful." she said before jumping from Sideswipe's chest armor to the ground. She hovered over the spilt Energon, not knowing if it was corrosive or not. She concentrated hard, holding a hand over the wound on the red mech's side.

She bit her lip as she gathered her power, closing the gap with a burst of energy. The Energon that was leaking suddenly stopped and the sparking wires melded themselves together. The base armor on top of the wires healed itself, melding back without a scratch.

Nexia smirked at the astonished faces of the mechs around her as the red metal melted into place as if the wound was never even there. There was no scar – not even an indication that it had once been damaged. When her work was complete the winged girl flew up and landed on Sunstreaker's shoulder.

The winged girl sat so her legs hung over his shoulder armor, resting her hand on his neck…only to be flung off as he swiped at his shoulder with his gigantic hand. Nexia said nothing as he was obviously worried about the red mech. She was obviously wrong as Sunstreaker glared at her, sneering as her eyes widened. Maybe he didn't like her? Well, she can't force people to like her…

She caught Ratchet's glaring gaze – but the glare was directed at the yellow mech standing in front of her. Nexia shot him a look, as if to tell him to calm down. The Autobot medic grumbled turning away; Sideswipe caught the exchange between the two as he smiled.

"Did I do a good job?" she asked Ratchet, laughing at the yellow one's disgruntled antics. Ratchet smiled gently at her but as she asked the same question to Sunstreaker he gave her no answer. Instead, he grinned at the red mech, paying her no attention. The action slightly hurting her feelings but she didn't show it; instead she watched as Sideswipe stood from the wreckage of the landing. Ratchet couldn't help but seethe in rage, eyes glaring at the troublesome duo.

"Thanks for healing me…but who are you? More importantly…**what** are you?" Sideswipe asked, nodding his head in the direction of her wings. She chuckled, turning toward the red mech. She stood from where she was and flew to Sideswipe's shoulder, causing him to smile slightly, and his brother to scowl. The winged girl flexed her wings and stuck her tongue out at the red mech's twin. If he was angry at her what more fun was there than to annoy him?

"My name is Nexia…I think I already introduced myself but you were in a pain induced alter-reality." She said, laughing with the red mech. She was enjoying the mischievousness that sparked in his optics. The winged girl made herself comfortable on his shoulder, raking her fingernails over his armor. She learned from experience that it made the Autobot's feel good.

"I'm a Cybertronian Phoenix. The last one…that I know of." she stated simply watching with an amused expression as his face slackened in awe before she flew back to the Search and Rescue mech. She blearily blinked as she smiled at her lover, kissing the protective armor over his spark.

The Autobot Medic held her protectively against his spark, holding her as she nuzzled against his chest armor. She sighed softly before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. Healing Sideswipe's armor really took a lot of her energy, more than she wanted them to see. Ratchet's optics softened when he gazed at her, suddenly aware of everybody's gaze on the two. The Search and Rescue vehicle glared at the others as they averted their gaze…but a certain duo decided to torture the mech.

"Aww… Hatchet's got a girlfriend!" Sunstreaker cooed while smirking, Sideswipe merely smiling at the two. He wasn't as such a pain in the aft as his brother. The medic glared at the two and activated his holoform, transforming and setting her into the backseat. He death glared at them again before driving off. The twins shrugged before following Ironhide in the direction to the base.


	14. The Loss of Asuma

**Authoress note: Hey, guys! I managed to make this chapter longer than the last one! Woot! **

**Thanks to:**

**electrogirl88 - Thank you so much for your praise. I'm glad that my story is one of your favorites. It makes me happy that someone would take time to actually tell that to me.**

**Nola1 - lol Thanks! I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.**

**Elita One - lol exactly. The twins are like some of my friends so it should get interesting.**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Yeah, but he gets better in this chapter.**

**Thanks for your reviews guys!**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**The Loss of Asuma**

* * *

Two weeks later had quickly arrived, much to everyone's surprise. The days had passed quickly but one particular day the Autobots could feel that something was amiss. Nobody could figure out what exactly had gone wrong but the winged girl was extremely distressed.

The winged girl was flying around the base, streaking past surprised Autobots. They stared after her with their optics wide and mouths open, wondering what she was in a rush for. Deep down in their sparks they knew something was troubling her but they needed to continue with their jobs…although Ratchet wanted to help his lover. He, however, was busy keeping Sideswipe and Sunstreaker out of trouble; yeah right. It was an impossible task but if the Autobot Medic wanted to keep his workload light he needed to do all he could.

As Nexia flew around the base little Kenai trailed behind her, darting in between the mechs' legs. The winged girl had checked every room, crevice, and hallway she could think of in order to find the source of her sour feeling. Her eyes were downcast as she hovered in the air, sweeping across the hall she was currently flying in.

She sharply flew around the corner and landed, scanning the new hallway for the source of her sadness. She was looking for Asuma, the black cat and Nexia's closest friend. He was always there for her, following her with Kenai. They would play together, entertaining the winged girl whenever she was bored. She could tell the little one anything and he could not spill her secrets since he was…well…a cat.

The winged girl finished scanning the new hallway and sighed, scooping up Kenai and headed toward the Communications Room. Maybe he was just hidden in a corner somewhere and she couldn't find him. Once at the Communications Room the door hissed open and she came barreling through, surprising the hell out of Hound. The green mech jumped as she landed on the computer's top, scanning this room as well. All the bright computers would have revealed the little black kitten if he were in here. Apparently he was not and Nexia sighed sadly for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

The green mech glanced at the winged girl with worry laced in his bright blue optics. Never had he seen the girl so saddened; he wondered what had happened to make her sad. He saw the little lady like a younger sister figure despite the fact that they were different species.

"Hey, darlin'. What can I do fer ya? Ya seem kina down." he asked in his deep southern accent. Some of the other mechs made fun of him for it but Nexia found it endearing. She looked up at the forest green mech with her lower lip trembling, causing his optics to narrow. Anyone who dared make the lil' lady cry would have hell to pay. It better not have been Ratchet…however it wasn't likely. Ratchet was too in love with the little winged girl to have hurt her. The green mech couldn't help but wonder what happened.

"Hound? Have you seen Asuma? I think he ran away because he wasn't at the house this morning and I can't find him here." she said, tears welling up in her eyes. The little beads of moisture dribbled down her cheeks as she rapidly blinked her eyes, trying to will the tears away.

Hound shook his head sadly and watched the girl bit back a small sob, burying her face into her hands. Her wings drooped sadly as Kenai let out a sad yip, rubbing his cheek against her leg in an attempt at comforting her. It didn't work, obviously, as she cried even harder, falling to her knees as her shoulders shook. The small fox kit looked up at Hound, a look of desperation in his eyes. He didn't like it when his foster mother was sad…but who did?

Bumblebee ambled in soon after and froze, shocked at the scene. He let out a questioning chirp but was quieted as the forest green mech waved an impatient hand in his direction. Hound quietly got up and whispered with the young mech as Nexia rose through the air and out the door. She could barely see where she was flying as the tears pooled into her eyes. Anywhere was better than the room where she was at the moment; she didn't want anyone else to see her sadness. The winged girl paused and picked up the fox kit – she needed **some** comfort after all.

Nexia was about to turn the corner when she realized she was in front of the Medical Bay. She paused, wondering if she should seek comfort in her lover, but soon thought better of it. The winged girl didn't want to be seen as a weak crybaby. The doors hissed open and quicker than the optic or the eye could see she flew down another hall, trying to find a room where she could cry in peace. If she had looked back she would have seen the Autobot Medical officer stepping into the hallway, looking around for her.

Ratchet made his way to the communications room via request of Bumblebee and Hound. The Autobot medic had work to do in his office and was grumbling under his breath. He knew that the two who called him were not injured but they had insisted that he come anyway. The medic sighed and decided that a small break from the Medical Bay couldn't hurt him. He wanted to share a small moment with his Nex if he could, also. He looked around, swearing that he saw a flicker of red wings out of the corner of his optics…but when he looked it was gone. Maybe he was working a little **too** hard.

* * *

Nexia sighed, slumping over onto her side. Her eyes were rimmed with red and extremely bloodshot from crying. She had long since cried all the tears she would dare to shed for her lost friend. Kenai nosed her arm, trying to push his head underneath her arm. He was worried about his foster mother.

She tried to smile at the little fox kit, but it seemed forced. She held her façade for a few moments before she finally decided to drop the act. Her face fell as she drifted further into her thoughts. Why had Asuma run away? Was he not happy with her? Was she that horrible hat he had to run away? She sank deeper into her despair, wrapping her arms around the red fox, and bringing her wings around herself from the world. She huddled in the corner of the empty room, enjoying the darkness of the shadows as thought about the black kitten.

Kenai shook his small furry head, saddened by his failure at attempting to cheer up the winged girl. He snuggled deeper into Nexia's embrace as her arms tightened around his frail form. She was careful not to crush him as he was the only thing she had left…besides the Autobots. He was the one she would have to entrust her secrets with.

A couple of tears slowly trailed down her face as her eyes fluttered closed. She smiled bitterly; amused that she hadn't used all of her tears. The winged girl finally drifted into a light sleep as the small fox guarded her sleeping form.

* * *

Ratchet arrived in the communications room shortly after he received the message request. The Autobot medical officer had looked for his winged lover on the way there but couldn't find her; he was somewhat worried but didn't think too much about it at the time.

The Autobot medic entered the room only to be greeted by two serious mechs. He was somewhat taken aback but he managed not to show his surprise on his facial plates. This was strange as Bumblebee was a young mech who loved to make others happy. He was a sweet youngling and the use of his serious face was uncharacteristic. Both of the young ones led Ratchet to one of the viewing monitors and once he was seated they began showing him one of the security videos of the past week.

The security video began with just the video around the entrance to the base; the door was closed and everything was still. Then, several minutes later, Sunstreaker arrived and opened the base door, exiting from the base. He must have been going on patrol because he transformed and sped off in the direction of the first checkpoint. There were several checkpoints along the entrance to the base and an alarm was sounded if one was missed.

Then, Ratchet noticed, that Sunstreaker had failed to close the base door. It was one of the most important rules at the Autobot base – keep the door closed. Nexia didn't know the code to the base as she usually had Ratchet with her…or had somebody let her out when she wanted to fly.

Ratchet's heart clenched painfully at the thought of his lover being in harms way. The Decepticons could have easily entered the base to kidnap their Phoenix or the shard to the Allspark. Ratchet felt his temper rise but continued watching the security video to see if anything else would happen. He couldn't let his temper get the better of him right now.

Bumblebee forwarded the video a couple of minutes but stopped when the black fuzz ball of a kitten appeared on the screen. The kitten was very intelligent as it understood what the humans and Autobots told it. He could complete menial tasks and could shake his head yes or no. Asuma's intelligence was due to the special pills Wheeljack made to go in his food. It stimulated his brain activities, thus making him smarter.

The little black kitten usually stayed away from the door but since someone left the door open Asuma became curious. Ratchet watched as the kitten made his way out the open door and away into the wild. Somehow the medic knew that they would never see the black kitten again. He was about to get up to find his lover but he was held fast by a hand on his arm. The Autobot medic realized that it wasn't over and settled back down, waiting for the video to continue.

It was Hound who fast forwarded the tape this time. Hours later, on the security tape, Sunstreaker arrived back at the base. The yellow warrior mech transformed back into his bipedal mode, golden paint shining in the light at he did. He glanced around to make sure nobody was around before he shut the base door. Sunstreaker must have realized that he left the base door open. He then walked away like nothing happened, most likely to his quarters that he shared with Sideswipe.

When the video ended Ratchet switched the monitor off, narrowing his optics in anger. It was bad enough that the golden warrior mech left the base door wide open…but he didn't even confess that he was the cause of the disappearance of Asuma. His little winged lover must be heartbroken.

"Sunstreaker is the cause for all of Nexia's misery. The slagger didn't confess to save his own hide." The Autobot medic hissed, watching Bee and Hound nod in agreement. In unison they stood, leaving Jazz to start his shift in the Communications Room. The silver colored saboteur smirked as they stalked out of the room, mentally picturing what Sunstreaker's beating would look like.

They stalked to the twins' room; Hound found himself knocking on the door – mainly because he was afraid that Ratchet would bust through the metal. The three angered mechs were soon greeted by a sleepy Sideswipe, who upon seeing their arrival quickly fetched his brother. The three mechs had no qualms with the red warrior mech; it was his brother that they were after.

Minutes later Sunstreaker appeared. Once he stepped out of the safety of his room he was grabbed by both Bumblebee and Hound. The scout and spy each had a hold of one arm as Ratchet shoved him against the wall of the hallway. The three angered mechs ignored the golden warrior's protests as his paint was scratched by the wall.

"You… you little fragger. You are the cause of Nexia's pain. I ought to beat the slag out of you. Then we'll see how much of a slagger you can really be." Ratchet all but hissed again. His eyebrow components narrowed, giving him a look of pure rage. The others were not as angry but Bee chirped in agreement while Hound nodded, glaring at the yellow warrior. Sunstreaker narrowed his optics while Sideswipe commed Optimus, worried about his twin. He didn't know what this was about…but a fight was about to break out.

"Nexia? Who? Oh you mean that little annoying pest who flies around mech's heads? She's just around for amusement, isn't she?" the golden warrior shot back, sneering at the medic. Sideswipe gaped at his brother, slightly stunned that he was being so mean about the whole situation. The red warrior glared at his brother – his dislike of the situation was flowing through their brotherly bond. Sunstreaker ignored their bond, choosing to continue sneering at the outraged mech in front of him.

Once the words had crossed his lips Hound and Bumblebee had tightened their grip on his arms, almost forcing him into a kneeling position on the floor. Their grip tightened almost painfully, causing Sunstreaker to grit his electronic teeth in pain. Sideswipe started to protest but with one look from his brother the red warrior fell silent.

"She is not a 'pest' as you say. Remember that she is the one who healed your brother when I didn't possess the proper tools." Ratchet growled, clenching his fist. He held it up, threatening to punch the golden warrior in the face.

"Yeah? So? It was your own fault that she had to heal Sides." Sunstreaker spat out, causing Ratchet's fist to tighten. Sideswipe then remembered when he was injured and when the little Phoenix healed his exposed side. He actually owed her his life. Sideswipe looked back to his brother, anxious to stop the fight and to make his aggressive twin to see reason. Sunstreaker smirked and Sideswipe knew that his next words would cause him to have his aft handed to him on a silver platter.

"Sunny…I think you should stop now… Ratchet has a point." Sideswipe said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. His comment both surprised the three angered mechs and infuriated his brother. It fueled his rage that his own twin would side with the Hatchet.

"Shut it, Sides. It's not my fault that itty bitty Ratchet here had to have his little whore help him out-" Sunstreaker was cut off by a neon green fist being shoved into his face. Several things happened at once: Bumblebee and Hound released the yellow assassin while the red one jumped forward to help his twin. Ratchet fought to deal with the yellow warrior but a strong pair of black arms held the medic back.

"Let me go, Ironhide." Ratchet yelled, causing all of the mechs to flinch. It was common enough to hear the neon mech to yell but to see him completely loose his composure was a rare sight. He continued to struggle but the black mech had a good grip on him. Soon, Wheeljack, Jazz, and Optimus came hurtling down the hallway, not surprised to see Ratchet and the hot tempered assassin going at it.

"What is going on here?!" Optimus roared as he approached the struggling duo, pointedly glaring at Ratchet and Sunstreaker. He waited shortly and then the questioning began. The Autobot medic stopped struggling but was still glaring heatedly at the golden warrior.

* * *

Nexia had awakened from her nap, sitting up slowly as Kenai started to lick the dried tears from her face. Her eyes were bloodshot from the amount of tears she had shed…but she surprisingly felt somewhat better. Maybe it was a good thing that all of those tears were wasted.

Suddenly, the loud booming voice of Optimus tore throughout the base. The words 'What is going on here?' made her jump to her feet, worried about her friends. Somehow she knew someone had gotten into a fight with one of the new mechs. The winged girl grabbed Kenai and took to the air, quickly exiting the storage room and flying in the direction of the voices.

When she was about to round the corner she cautiously landed, setting Kenai upon the ground. She sternly whispered that he should stay there lest he be stepped on. The winged girl took to the air again - this time slower than before. She rounded the corner and gasped at the scene that was before her.

Ratchet was struggling against a hold from Ironhide and Wheeljack while Sunstreaker was being held back by Sideswipe and Jazz. Optimus was standing before the bunch, his back was facing Nexia, and had his arms crossed, glaring at the other bots. The winged girl froze, hovering in the air as she witnessed the scene. Nexia was sure that none of the mechs had realized that she was there.

"Now, I will only ask this one more time. What is going on here?" the great Autobot leader demanded. Optimus did not tolerate fighting between fellow Autobots. As everyone calmed, with the exception of Ratchet and Sunstreaker, Nexia took this opportunity to fly in front of the bots. When she made herself known the mechs froze, suddenly feeling ashamed.

Ratchet relaxed, not wanting to seem like a sparkling in front of his lover, so the bots released their grip on his arms. Nexia landed on his outstretched hand as he brought her small frame up to his shoulder. The winged girl settled herself on his shoulder, lightly gripping onto the Search and Rescue lights for balance.

Hound and Bumblebee stepped forward slightly in a protective manner, glaring at the yellow warrior. It was Ratchet who finally responded to Optimus' question. He glanced up at his winged lover before sighing.

"It all started when we saw Nexia this morning. She was saddened for some reason… and you know how we can't stand seeing her sad. In order to rectify the problem we, Hound, Bumblebee, and I, were trying to figure out what was wrong. It turns out that she could not find Asuma, her black kitten." he began. Optimus looked at Nexia for confirmation so she nodded her head. Optimus motioned for Ratchet to continue while Sunstreaker glared at the duo.

"Well…Hound and Bumblebee had found something on one of the security videos. It turns out that while on patrol Sunstreaker left the door to the base open and Asuma wandered outside. He was probably curious as to what the outside world looked like compared to the base. Later, when Sunstreaker returned, he shut the base door. Asuma never made it back inside the base." The Autobot medic said mournfully.

Ratchet turned his head to the side to get a better look at his lover…but the look on her face nearly broke his spark. He brought his hand up to her as she held on to a couple of his fingers, closing her eyes tightly. She had a look of despair upon her face, her wings drooping around her frame. Ratchet's other hand clenched in a fist; he was still furious with the golden warrior. The next time he was in for a check up…ohh he would get it.

"So what?! You act like she just lost her best friend! It was just a black rat." the yellow warrior retorted but was instantly silenced with a look from the great blue mech. Optimus was aware how much the little kitten had meant to the winged girl. The Autobot leader then nodded for Ratchet to continue with the story. Ratchet took the equivalent action of a deep breath before continuing.

"Bumblebee, Hound, and I came to confront the little slagger and… well things got out of hand. He insulted Nexia…" Ratchet trailed off. Optimus nodded his head in understanding and completed the medic's thought. Ratchet sneaked a look at the winged girl, mentally chuckling at the surprised look on her face. Yes, he would always fight for her honor.

"And when he insulted the little one you attacked him, correct?" Optimus asked, eyeing the dark yellow mech. Sunstreaker grimaced, as if he was expecting to be hit. He had calmed down from his little temper tantrum but Jazz and Sideswipe still held him back.

"If I may interject? What did Sunstreaker say that insulted our dear Phoenix?" Wheeljack asked. Ratchet clutched his fist in renewed anger, glaring at the golden warrior.

"He called Nexia a whore." the medic said as calmly as he could, wincing when he heard her gasp. She looked down, letting her wings droop even further around her body. She stayed in her depressing position when, suddenly, she jumped off Ratchet's shoulder. The winged girl flew forward, hovering in front of the yellow warrior.

"I don't know if you heard of the legends about Cybertronian Phoenixes. I am the last of my kind. And yes, Asuma was my best friend. He is gone and there is nothing I can do about it. He was to me as Sideswipe is to you." Nexia explained calmly, looking Sunstreaker in the optics. The warrior's optics widened and flickered ever so slightly toward his brother. They flickered back towards Nexia and softened slightly at her saddened face.

"Do you really think that way about me?" she asked before Optimus motioned for everyone to leave.

"No. I guess I was just jealous of all the attention you were getting. I had no idea that you were the last of your kind." Sunstreaker sighed, looking down and gathering his thoughts.

"Since this is your first offense you will not be punished, but Nexia is dear to us all. Even if you are an Autobot I cannot guarantee your safety if you insult her again." the towering blue mech said, turning to leave. Soon, only Ratchet, Nexia, and the twins were left standing in the hallway. The red warrior released his twin's arm as Sunstreaker turned towards the winged girl once again. Sunstreaker took a deep intake of air as Ratchet watched him warily, waiting to pounce at the slightest disturbance.

"Nexia…I-" he began. He paused, glancing back at his brother, who nodded at him with encouragement.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that the animal meant so much to you. I don't know how you handle it so well, either. If I had lost Sides I'd be devastated." he said, elbowing his brother in the side. Sideswipe laughed playfully as he swatted his twin's hand away. Nexia smiled and flew upwards until she was hovering in front of his face again. She leaned forward and hugged both the twins' faces, much to the displeasure to the medic behind her. Nexia finally let go and flew back so that she was once again settled on Ratchet's shoulder.

"Why don't we start over? Hi, my name is Nexia. What is your designation?" she asked, eyes sparkling merrily. Both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe grinned, each taking a hold of one of her hands.

"Hey, beautiful. Names Sunstreaker but you can call me Sunny." Sunstreaker said, seeming to wink at the winged girl. Sideswipe then pushed his brother out of the way.

"And my name is Sideswipe but if my lady wishes she can call me Sides." the red mech said, also winking at the winged girl. Ratchet glared at the mechs but held back as he saw that Nexia was smiling. It seems that even though she lost one valuable friend she seemed to have gained two more.


	15. The Midnight Trip

**Hey, sorry for the late update!! Very, very late I have to say but I'm sorry! I was studying for the ACT I had this morning!!**

**Thanks to:**

**Elita One: Thanks for the review! All your support is muchly welcomed!**

**electrogirl88: Thanks for your reviews! It makes me think my fanfiction is worth reading.**

**Stesuna the Dragon: I love all the reviews you give me!! Thank you!!**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**The Midnight Trip**

* * *

It was the middle of the night, hot and sticky; the sweltering heat could make your skin literally melt off. Bugs were buzzing around outside, hoping to land on their unsuspecting pray and feast on their blood. They knocked against the winged girl's window, smelling the sweet combination of skin and sweat.

Nexia was sleeping soundly in her bed, but had kicked of her sheets and blanket in an attempt to keep herself cool. She was having a rather vivid dream. It was not a nightmare but all she could make out were snippets of sounds and small flashes of color. It was frighteningly real…and she was helpless. She could neither move nor speak. Then she heard a voice practically screaming her name. Nexia frowned in her sleep, recognizing the voice as Ratchets.

Suddenly, Nexia was snapped out of her sleep by the sound of something hitting her window. The winged girl sat up, wondering what the hell hit her window. It very well could have been a bird…but the noise it would have created would have been significantly louder.

Very bright lights suddenly shone through the window as well, making her eyes squint against the sudden brightness. Nexia stumbled out of bed and to the window, opening said window as the lights died. The winged girl blinked and wiped at her eyes as she stuck her head out the window. When they opened again she found herself staring blankly at the face of Bumblebee. They held their gaze for a few moments before Nexia noticed the two humans on the ground, quietly waving their arms to get her attention.

"What do you want? Don't you realize its past midnight?! You'll wake Sarah and Will…not to mention Ironhide!" Nexia half whispered and half yelled down to the couple. The two looked at each other and grinned, showing her their bathing suites. At first the winged girl had no idea what was going on but soon her mind cleared as the sleep faded away.

"We thought you might want to go for a little nightly swim. Y'know, to relieve your stress. You've been worrying a lot lately." Mikaela said, smiling up at the winged girl. She knew that the winged girl worried about the safety of the Autobots but now since the Decepticons had discovered her she needed to worry about herself, too.

Nexia stood at the window, still as she was thinking about the situation. It was true; she needed a break from all the worrying she was doing. Surely the humans and Bumblebee wouldn't let any harm come to her…and if the Decepticons showed up she could fight. Finally, she made up her mind.

"Just give me ten minutes. I'll be down soon." she whispered to the two teens. Sam and Mikaela grinned at each other, eyes sparkling with accomplishment. Bee made some crooning noises, chirping happily that his new-yet-not-so-new friend was going to come with them.

Nexia tiptoed around her room, quietly slipping on a two piece bathing suit. It was black with silver glitter sewed into it. On the left breast there was a giant white JB for the Jonas Brothers. Sam and Mikaela didn't particularly like that band but the winged girl found their music to be soothing. Just listening to the lyrics made her think about her relationship with a certain Search and Rescue hummer.

She hastily put on a pair of shorts and a tank over the bathing suit, tugging the strings to make sure it was tied tightly. She slipped on her ninja sandals and banished her wings – so she could huddle - as she escaped out her window and into Bee's hand. The way the yellow scout handled her was surprisingly gentle for a mech of his size but Nexia smiled, eyes glittering with mischievousness.

Everyone was smiling happily but there was one thing that would cause distress. In her haste Nexia forgot to write a note telling Sarah and Will where she was going.

Since Nexia banished her wings Bumblebee lifted her with ease and then set her down beside the other two teens. He transformed into that sweet Camero form of his, opening his doors in one smooth motion. The teens all climbed inside, cheering quietly as they crept past the sleeping Ironhide. Once they were sure that they had made it past the slumbering weapons specialist the humans broke out in a round of laughter.

About an hour later they arrived at the lake where all of them first met Nexia. The humans and Nexia climbed out of Bee's camero mode and he transformed. There was nobody out that late at night so he didn't have to worry about someone spotting him.

Sam and Mikaela wandered off somewhere and started to swim in the deeper part of the lake but Nexia slowly peeled off her shorts and shirt. The truth is…the winged girl couldn't swim very well. She had no reason to learn but at least she could keep her head above water.

Bee settled down on his back as Nexia slowly sat down in the shallow end of the lake. She sighed contently as the water came up to around her breasts. The small waves of the warm water were soothing; it helped her relax and all the tension from the past couple of months was fading away. It was all quiet except for the sounds of Sam and Mikaela splashing each other in the background.

* * *

Sarah Lennox woke with a start, having been suffering from a mild nightmare. A cold sweat dripped down her face and her hair clung to her forehead as she gasped, sitting up in the bed. Her nightgown also clung to her body from the sweat.

She looked around the room, trying to sense if anything was off. The blonde woman frowned as she climbed out of bed, quietly slipping on a light robe she crept out of her room. She walked as quietly as she could down the hall to check on her young daughter before slipping downstairs to check on the doors.

The older woman was relieved when she found that they were locked. Her dream had been so vivid. People had broken into the house and held little Annabelle hostage. The winged girl was being tortured by another man who had held her at gunpoint. The man shot her in the wings, causing her to scream. Her husband had a knife held to his throat – it was horrible.

The blonde woman felt better now that she knew that the doors were locked. She sighed in relief when she saw the bulky form of Ironhide settled in their driveway. The memories from the nightmare melted from her mind as she slowly walked back up the stairs. Little did Sarah know that Nexia was not in her room and the winged girl's window was wide open.

Sarah was calmed considerably as she climbed the stairs to Nexia's attic room. Sarah paused outside the door, listening for the soft breaths of someone sleeping. Moments passed without a sound; something wasn't right. Her heartbeat spiked as she realized that she couldn't hear anyone breathing.

She almost didn't want to open the door but panic and curiosity got the better of her. Sarah opened the door and almost cried out when she saw the vacant bed and the open window. Leaving the door open she rushed down the stairs to their bedroom.

"Will!" she exclaimed, shaking her husband awake. Since he was a soldier his reflexes had been sharpened. He was awake and on his feet in a matter of seconds, glancing wildly around the room. He was alert and his eyes shifted back and forth, searching for the cause of his wife's distress. His eyes landed on his wife and his mind went into a frenzy; he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around his wife's shoulders.

"Will, Nexia's gone! The window is open and her room is a mess! I can't find her anywhere!!" Sarah exclaimed tears streaming down her face. Her bottom lip quivered as she thought about the possible outcomes of the situation. Will scooped his distressed wife into his arms, not bothering to ask why she was awake at this hour. She was known to wake and check on their daughter. The military man pulled away, running his thumbs across her cheeks to clear away her tears.

"Hey. None of that. Why don't you search the house and I'll go inform Ironhide. Maybe she's gone for a late night flight?" he said, watching her nod. He switched out his boxers for a pair of pajama pants – he wanted to be at least modest - before he stumbled downstairs to talk to the giant GMC Topkick.

Will knew that Ironhide was a heavy sleeper so he had to kick the great black mech in the tire to get his attention. The black mech woke with a start, shuddering as he accessed the situation. It took several seconds for his processor to reboot but after that he was wide awake.

The weapons specialist scanned the house as Sarah emerged with Nexia's katana, the strap neatly hooked into place. Ironhide's processor went into overdrive as he scanned the grounds of the Lennox household. She wasn't there, which sent his spark into a panic. Usually the old mech was quite calm but the winged girl was placed in his protection…plus he really had no interest going up against an angry medic.

"Will, where is Nexia? My scanners indicate that she is nowhere in the general area." Ironhide asked, transforming into his bipedal mode. He was a weapons specialist and therefore his scanners only went about a half-mile before they cut off. Will and Sarah shook their heads. Tears sprung forth from Sarah's eyes as Will wrapped her in his arms once again. Alarms went off in his processor as the black mech stood to his full height.

_**Ironhide to Autobot Base.**_ he said, opening up an emergency alert communications channel with everyone present in the Autobot base. That way the weapons specialist wouldn't have to repeat his conversation and he would be able to save time.

_**Go ahead Ironhide. State the emergency.**_ Optimus' voice replied over the emergency network. He sounded somewhat worried since Ironhide never had to use the emergency network before.

_**Prime, we have a problem. Nexia was found missing from her quarters. Her quarters were also found in a mess and her katana was left behind. We can't track her since her katana isn't with her. **_Ironhide explained. Once he was finished he could hear several gasps, one of which tore at his spark. It was Ratchet and from the sound of it he had either fallen to his knees or sat down somewhere.

_**Are you sure she is gone?! She could be flying somewhere outside to relieve her stress or something along those lines!!**_ Ratchet exclaimed, his shaky voice making Ironhide wince. The Autobot mech was obviously worried about his lover.

_**We will alert Hound, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee to Nexia's condition. Ironhide, you will stay in case she comes back.**_ Optimus' worried voice sounded through the communications system. Since Hound, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee were on patrol their emergency broadcast system wouldn't be activated until they got back. It was kind of stupid to have it off but it was to help prevent distraction.

_**Affirmative, Prime. I will contact you if I see or receive communications from her. Ironhide out.**_ the great black mech said, cutting off the communications system. It would seem like all he could do for the moment was wait.

"Well? What are you going to do?" Will asked, worry etched into his voice. Ironhide sighed and transformed back into his vehicular mode, causing both the humans to look at him strangely. Usually he would be tearing out of the place at the first sign of something unusual. Ironhide in turn sat back on his shocks, worry also evident in the great warrior's voice.

"We are to wait here. Optimus has alerted those on Patrol while Ratchet will most likely head out on his own to search for her. He knows all of the places she is likely to be at." Ironhide relayed, watching as Will nodded his head and yawned. He turned to his wife as she rubbed her eyes a little more.

"Go back to bed, Will. I will stay awake and alert you if she is to return." Will looked uncertain at first but after a bit of prodding by the Topkick he finally gave in. Soon after the humans went to sleep Ironhide finally opened a private communications link with the Autobot Medic. He was stern but he realized that the medic needed a little more pushing in order to go after the winged girl – or at least get him out of the shock he was most likely in.

_**You better find her.**_ was all Ironhide said before shutting the link and sighing in worry for his winged friend. He turned to look towards the sky; at least he had gotten enough recharge for the night.

* * *

Ratchet barely registered anything the Weapon Specialist said through the private communications link as his mind was in turmoil. Several questions were flying through his processor at lightning speed.

Did someone break into Nexia's room? If so, then who was it? Was it a Decepticon? How could a Decepticon have gotten through the Autobot Defense system drilled into Ironhide's core processor? Would they hurt Nexia?

At this thought Ratchet's spark clenched painfully as he staggered to his feet. Ironhide's warning bore through his processor, jumpstarting his mind. The Autobot medic's face was stern and determined. He was going to find his lover and there would be hell to pay.

He rushed through the many twists and turns of the Autobot base until he got to the entrance. Not bothering to slow down he transformed mid jump, narrowly escaping a collision with Wheeljack. The white bot's voice indicators flashed in annoyance as the Autobot medical officer refused to apologize. He had no time for that.

"Hey! Watch it, Ratchet!" the white Autobot yelled, flattening himself against the wall. Wheeljack frowned but held himself from scolding the medic as he knew not of what Ratchet was going through. The medic had just found his lover and he knew that the medic wouldn't give her up without a fight.

Ratchet sped by Optimus and Jazz, both of him giving him silent looks. Nexia was dear to everyone at the base but if she was ever lost Ratchet's spark would surly extinguish. It was bad enough that the battle hardened Autobot rarely showed any kind of emotion other than anger…this kind of anguish tore at the mechs' sparks.

The Autobot medical officer sped down the dirt road connecting the countryside to the military bases. Ratchet thought that he should check all of the winged girl's favorite spots. He transformed back to his bipedal mode, skidding upon the dirt when he reached the thicket of trees and bushes. The medic activated his scanners, desperately searching for the one who captured his spark. He sighed in despair when he couldn't recognize her specific heat signature. The medic raked his fingers across his helm, trying to figure out where else she would go.

Suddenly, his emergency communications receptor flared to life. The mech paused, slowing his ventilation systems in order to hear his commander's voice.

_**Autobots I have some bad news.**_ Optimus' voice reverberated through the system. Ratchet's spark was sent into overdrive as he awaited the news from his commander. Had Nexia been located? Was she hurt? Could she be in pain and he couldn't help her? His spark shuttered painfully at the thoughts.

_**It has been over one hour since Nexia has been missing and she has yet to return home. We also tried contacting the mechs on patrol and Autobot Bumblebee is not responding. We are not sure what this means but it could be anything. Stay alert, Autobots. Prime out.**_ Optimus said, ending the emergency transmission. The Autobot medic's processor was reeling from the information.

Ratchet sank to his knees, spark tearing to shreds. If she were hurt then he would murder the one who caused her pain. He would ignore his medic's code and ensure the death of whoever dared lay a hand on his lover.

He pushed himself to his knees and decided to search one more place before he would return to the Autobot base. He had one more chance to be right. Ratchet transformed once he reached the road, not pausing to see whether or not there were any humans. It was stupid, yes, but he had no time to waste.

The Autobot medic sped down the highway to where he first met his sparkmate. Yes, it was true. They were sparkmates. Nexia had given him her spark to protect and protect it he would.

* * *

_It was late at night, next to the shore of the lake. The stars were shining brightly as two human-like figures lay on the hood of a Search and Rescue Hummer. The two were Ratchet's holoform and Nexia without her wings, obviously._

_They lay intertwined with each other. He was lying on his back while she was to the side, her head lying upon his chest._

"_Nexia?" Ratchet asked, looking down upon her, smiling softly. This caused her to look up, a small smile adorning her face as well. It was these rare moments that the Autobot medic showed his more tender side._

"_Hmm, Ratch?" she asked back as he brushed some hair from her face._

"_I love you." he murmured quietly. Nexia smiled at the medic's show of affection. She knew that he had a hart time showing his emotions but she loved him anyway. It was just one of his quirks and it made it even better when he did show it._

"_I love you, too." she said softly, gently kissing his lips. He beamed at her and kissed her harder, yet still being gentle. He rubbed the spots on her back, where the base of her wings would be. She gasped and arched her back - they were her most sensitive spots._

_She broke from the kiss, giggling at his touch. He laughed at her, pausing when he felt something being slipped over his head. He opened his eyes, having closed them sometime during the kiss, and looked down at the spark hanging around his neck. She smiled at him lovingly as tears gathered in his eyes._

"_I give my spark to you, my love." she said as he gathered her in his arms once again, kissing her with as much passion as he could muster. She had let him touch their sparks together, when he was back in bipedal mode of course, and they had become true sparkmates._

* * *

The winged girl's spark was safely nestled within his subspace, near his own spark. He glared at the road, determined to protect his mate until the very end. The Autobot medic took a sharp turn into the entrance of the camp near the lake and was about to transform but froze when he heard several voices. He parked his vehicle form and activated his holoform, slipping under the cover of darkness to see if his beloved was among those there.

Ratchet crept forward, silently sticking his head over one of the bushes to see Sam and Mikaela shoving each other in the water. His spark tightened while he looked around and finally deflated with relief when he spotted his mate next to Bumblebee. He jumped from the bush and gathered her into his arms.

"Ratch!? What are you doing?!" Nexia yelled, surprise evident in her voice. He kissed her multiple times before picking her up and sending a glare towards Bumblebee, Sam, and Mikaela. All three of them shivered, creeping backwards away from the medic.

"We need to talk. Alone." he said, passing by the other three. They looked confused as to why he was acting this way but it only took a private com to the yellow scout to figure out the story. Bee held the two humans back with an 'I'll explain later' look as Ratchet continued back to his true form.

Once there the medic enveloped his mate with a bone crushing hug, burying his nose into her now shoulder length hair. He didn't even realize that it was growing in length, something he would never take for granted again. He vowed that he was going to notice the little things. The little things were sometimes the most important.

"I thought that you were taken by the Decepticons. I thought that I had lost you." he whispered, a tear trailing down his cheek. The tear splashed onto Nexia's shoulder while she wrapped her arms around the distressed medic's waist. She bit her lip, feeling ashamed that she hadn't contacted him.

"Hush, love. I'm here, **now**, and that's all that matters. Why didn't you contact Bee if you were so worried?" she asked, cocking her head in curiosity. Ratchet's tear-filled eyes narrowed in anger as he tightened his grip on the winged girl, finally setting her down on his hood. He sat behind her as she faced him, sitting in his lap.

"He turned his com off." he hissed, glaring at the tree next to them.

"Really? It seemed like he was acting a little strange. But then again, he WAS sleeping." she said, yawing. She was tired as it had been several hours since her little adventure with Bumblebee began. She softly kissed Ratchet's lips and snuggled her head against his shoulder.

He slowly leaned back against his windshield, quietly messaging the other Autobots. Once he was done he nestled his head on top of his mate's. he last words he mumbled before he fell asleep were: "The next time Bee does something like this I'll weld his aft to the ceiling."


	16. Dangers of the Eclipse

**Hey guys! You can consider everything up until this chapter revised XD**

**Thanks to:**

**electrogirl88 - Thanks! I love to write so it motivates me when people say I do a good job.**

**Stesuna the Dragon - I'll try to update more often now that the SATs are over with.**

**Starstreak 777 - Lol, me too! I might put something like that in later a later chapter where Ratchet thinks Bee kidnaps Nexia again but she's really sleeping in the Med Bay or something. **

**Thanks guys!!**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Dangers of the Eclipse**

* * *

The next week was rather boring for everyone. There had been zero Decepticon activity since Mission City and the Lookout, which meant the Autobots were getting restless. The twins were wanting to kick some Decepticon aft but since there was no activity they couldn't get their wish fulfilled. They had to settle for sparring outside the base in their spare time.

No more Autobots have landed on Earth and that was making Optimus depressed. The large mech kept his hopes high for a certain amount of time but it was beginning to dwindle. The Autobot leader was truly beginning to believe that they were the only ones left in the Galaxy.

There also had been no contacts from any Femmes, which meant there was no way for the Autobots to reproduce. Nexia had been experimenting with Wheeljack but she was having a bit of difficulty understanding the concept of the experiments. Wheeljack and the winged girl were experimenting with the recovered shard of the allspark. It worked in mysterious ways and they were trying to create sparklings. Apparently the shard either didn't have enough power or the sparkling would suffer and then die.

The two were trying to devise a way to harness aided power within the sparkling's spark chamber. It would gather together the weak power of the allspark and utilize it to create a spark. Unfortunately it meant that Wheeljack had to work with chemicals.

Down in the white scientist's laboratory, which was covered in a bomb-proof metallic alloy, Wheeljack poured a chemical into the beaker with another, creating a huge explosion. Bright colors blossomed and bright blue and white tendrils caught Nexia by the arms and legs, electrocuting her and causing excruciating pain. Since the winged girl and the Autobot medic were connected at the spark the medic must have known something happened in the lab.

The next thing Nexia knew she was screaming bloody murder while Wheeljack was shouting her name, trying to get the tendrils of energy to release her body. It was hard; the tendrils seemed like they were responding to her own energy. The door crashed open as Ratchet dashed into the room. He had felt a dulled down reaction to the pain through their bond. A nerve-wracking pain shot through their system before Nexia fell limp, falling off the table and into Ratchet's shaking hands.

The Autobot medic's processor was running miles as he ran scan over scan on his beloved, Wheeljack standing nervously in the background. Nexia's energy level was spiking dangerously high, higher than her body should have allowed. They rushed to the Medical Bay, hoping that they would be able to figure out what was wrong.

The worried medic set her gently down onto one of the berths, wincing as he felt Nexia's spark shutter. He tried to calm it with his own spark but all of his efforts were in vain. Ratchet's scans were inconclusive so they had no choice but to leave her on the berth. Little did they know that a solar eclipse was going to occur later in the day.

You see, a Phoenix's power is relative to the energy emitted from the sun. If the sun is covered then a Pheonix's power is extremely limited.

"What were you working on?" Ratchet asked, turning to the white scientist. Wheeljack winced as the medic started fixing his wounds. Ratchet didn't show it on the outside but he was furious. Wheeljack knew better than to let someone as small as the winged girl into the room while he was working with dangerous chemicals.

"The Allspark." he simply responded quietly. He knew that Ratchet was furious so he hung his head in shame.

"The Allspark is a solid form. Why are you working with chemicals if you don't need them?" the medic asked, narrowing his optics at the white mech.

"We were trying to find a way to enhance or help the shard to grow. The chemicals were only to be a catalyst in our experiments." Wheeljack replied, gazing sadly at the winged girl.

The medic was about to respond but Nexia's heart monitor went haywire. Her heart sped as Ratchet and Wheeljack rushed to her side. They activated their holoforms and reached her just in time as she opened her eyes her heart went back to normal. It was incredibly unusual. In moments Ratchet had her nestled safely within his arms while Wheeljack was studying the monitor. He was no medic but he was trained well enough to tell that something strange was going on.

"Nex? Are you alright?" Ratchet whispered, removing the wires from her chest. The machines weren't telling him anything so it was up to Nexia to tell him what was wrong.

"The Eclipse is approaching." she whispered, staring blankly into the space before her. Wheeljack turned and gasped at what she said, optics widening in obvious surprise. Then his optics saddened as he stared down at the oblivious winged girl.

"What does she mean?" Ratchet all but demanded from the white mech. Before Wheeljack could answer, however, Nexia started whispering again. Both of the mechs leaned close to her in order to understand her whispering.

"The Eclipse. The only power able to drain a Phoenix's powers. The Eclipse is approaching." she whispered, still staring at the same spot in the air. Ratchet finally understood what she was talking about. The solar eclipse that was scheduled for today! The sun would be covered, which is what Nexia's fire based power is based from. The horrified medic gulped, afraid of what would happen to Nexia with the Decepticons after her.

"Don't worry." she said, finally shifting her gaze to the medic. Ratchet cupped her face with his hand and nuzzled his face into her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed with happiness.

"I may not be able to use my fire but I can still fly and use my katana." she said, trying to ignite her fist but failing. She failed to mention that she was already feeling weak. Ratchet sighed in relief, resting his holoform's forehead against hers. They were about to kiss but Wheeljack cleared his throat. They both jumped apart, blushing furiously at forgetting about the other mech.

"How about we take a break?" Wheeljack suggested to the other two, brushing his holoform's white hair away from his face. The other two smiled, nodding at the scientist's idea. They pondered at what to do until Nexia jumped up with an idea. Her excited face made the Autobot medic break out into a smile – Wheeljack noticed and was happy that his best friend had found a reason to be happy.

"Let's go to the water park! I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun there…" she said, eyes shining in excitement. The other two nodded, although Ratchet was a little hesitant, and contact the other Autobots, letting them know about their plan. Once Optimus gave the OK the three of them were out the door.

Surprisingly the Tranquility Water Park was not crowded as much as Nexia thought it would be. She banished her wings in order to fit in and tied her hair back in a small ponytail. She let a few strands of hair frame her face, forming a look she thought was cute. She was dressed in a white shirt and jean shorts with her bathing suit underneath. Ratchet had abandoned the lab jacket, as had Wheeljack, so they only wore swimming trunks and button up shirts.

When they arrived the two Autobots parked in the far corner of the parking lot, under a huge oak tree for the shade. They paid for entrance and walked to a sunny table. The now wingless girl smiled, revering the feeling of the sun hitting her face. She felt a little rejuvenated but she knew that the worse was yet to come.

Ratchet watched as Nexia shed her top, rather slowly just for him, and peeled down her shorts even slower. Her bathing suit was black, of course, with the Tokio Hotel symbol on the middle of the black halter top. Although her bathing suit showed some of the scars she had on her back Ratchet still thought she was beautiful. Now all he had to do was make sure she knew it.

"You look beautiful, love. You are the most beautiful creature that exists in the universe." Ratchet said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He kissed her neck and she giggled, turning around to kiss him on the lips. She broke apart from him to take a look at his neon green and black swimming trunks. Her eyes trailed over his lithe, somewhat muscular frame, until she nodded in approval. He still wore the glasses, he thought it made him look smart.

"I like it. We match, with the black that is." The winged girl purred, kissing him on the lips again. They were interrupted again by Wheeljack when he threw a couple of inner tubes in their direction. He laughed at them, seeming to enjoy disrupting their 'mushiness' as he calls it.

Nexia and Ratchet broke apart, flushing at being caught by the scientist once again. It was like he had a sixth sense for those types of things. Call it an astute ability. They were about to make their way over to the wave pool to relax but a large explosion caught their attention. Nexia, Ratchet, and Wheeljack ducked out of instinct. The two mechs covered Nexia's exposed flesh with their own holoforms, protecting her from the excess shrapnel.

"What's going on?!" Nexia screamed over the crashes and screams of the terrified people. Ratchet was going to respond but a great trill of evil laughter rang through the air, answering her question. Her eyes widened as her heart froze; the Eclipse was beginning. She looked up at the sun, alarmed to find it already beginning to darken.

Ratchet's fists clenched subconsciously as Nexia's eyes narrowed while they remembered what the silvery-gray jet had done to her. She was about to stand and recall her wings but Ratchet called her back. He gripped her by the arms and pulled her into a fierce kiss before looking her in the eyes. He seemed to be searching for something before he drew her into a hug.

"Please promise me you'll stay here until Wheeljack and I arrive in our bipedal modes. **Promise me!** I'll bring you your katana to fight with, but until then stay hidden." he said, shaking her slightly. Her eyes widened and she nodded her head, aware that Ratchet was only worrying about her safety. She watched as his holoform dissipated, leaving her huddled in her bathing suite behind a large mass of twisted metal.

She waited, drawing herself into a smaller ball. It got darker outside but according to the internet they weren't supposed to be in the umbra – at least that was something that would help her. She stayed curled into a ball until she hard the screeching of metal upon concrete. She sighed, thinking that it was either Wheeljack or Ratchet.

"Finally." she breathed out, peering over the mass of twisted metal. Red, evil optics stared back at her, causing her to loose her grip and scream. She desperately hoped that either Autobot had heard her. Ratchet still had her katana; she had nothing to fight with.

The Decepticon smiled, showing a row of perfectly filed teeth, pointed to an almost dangerous point. The Decepticon lunged forward, catching her struggling form, and laughing at her pathetic excuse at escaping. She sighed in defeat, settling to look at her captor. Her eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth in annoyance, daring the Decepticon to try anything.

The terrified winged girl stared at the form in front of her, scanning for some sign of weakness. The mech was black and white, and she guessed that when he transformed he would tale on the guise of a police cruiser. He had sharp 'teeth' and blazing ruby optics.

He had the Tranquility police crest on his chest plating, and instead of the familiar slogan of 'to protect and serve' it was 'to punish and enslave' running down he length of his arm. He laughed again, causing a sinister feeling to run down her spine. Suddenly, her eyelids began to droop as the sky began to darken. The Eclipse had started to blot out the sun. Nexia's powers were weakening.

"Nexia!" she heard, coming from her left. The weakening girl had barely any time to think before she was sent hurling through the air. She screamed in shock, having no time to recall her wings before she hit the ground.

Nexia closed her eyes and prepared for her body to come in contact with the hard concrete…but for some reason the impact never came. Instead, something hard and warm wrapped around her torso before she felt herself being pulled towards a warm and comforting feeling. A humming noise filled her ears as her mind began to relax.

"Nex, you alright? You aren't injured?" the cocky voice of Sunstreaker asked. She opened her eyes and nodded, failing to find her voice. She was weakening considerably – which was bad because the Eclipse was nowhere near complete.

The golden warrior was about to set her down but she was once again flung from his grasp when a familiar silver jet shot at the enraged mech. This time she saw it coming so she was able to recall her wings. She soared up, barely being able to escape being crushed by the unfamiliar black and white mech.

"Where do you think you're going, femme? I will destroy you!" another voice sneered at her. Bright red eyes laughed cruelly at her as she panicked, loosing more energy as she did so. She cursed, clenching her fists in anger. The mech's deep blue coat shone in the sunlight as she dove towards the ground. She twisted, avoiding the wicked claws, and dove towards the familiar pile of twisted metal.

"Skywarp! Pick on someone yur own size!" she heard Ironhide's distinct growl. Skywarp, she guessed, was tackled to the ground by the big black mech. Nexia felt helpless as he punched the blue mech in the jaw. She had lost her fire to the Eclipse so there was no way she could help her Autobot friends.

"F-frenzy k-kill!" a smaller silver blur knocked her to the ground, pulling several feathers from her wings. Blood spurted from the injuries and there was no telling where the Autobot medic was. She could barely fight against him if she didn't have her katana.

The two went rolling around on the ground while biting, kicking, and scratching at each other. Nexia bit back a cry as Frenzy slashed out at her, catching her in the leg with one of his throwing stars. It wasn't bleeding badly but it still hurt to stand. The winged girl was getting desperate as another star pierced her wing, rendering her unable to fly. She kicked Frenzy away and hid quickly, while he was down.

"Ratchet!!" she screamed, looking around for the medic. Nexia shook her head, trembling. She was starting to believe that she was going to die.

"Nexia!? Where are you?!" Ratchet's faint voice replied. One of the Decepticons must be blocking his initial scanners. Horrific thoughts entered her mind causing her to flinch.

"Nex!" she spotted Wheeljack a few feet away. He had her katana in one of his enormous hands. The winged girl let out a sigh of relief as he came closer to her.

"Where's Ratchet?" she asked, looking worriedly in the white inventor's facial plates. He grimaced, turning to the side and shooting at Skywarp.

"He's a little busy at the moment!" he yelled back, chucking the katana in her direction. She jumped, trying to catch it, but Frenzy caught her in the side.

Nexia grunted, knowing that there was no way she was going to be able to get out of this one. The little silver bot slashed at her throat, going for her voicebox. His claws came in contact with her skin, drawing warm blood from her body. She shrieked in pain as she shoved the silver body off her.

"Aah!!" she gasped, clutching at her throat as if it were on fire. Her head swam with pain streaming from her throat. She suppressed a scream, although she knew that she wouldn't be able to speak let alone scream, as she ripped the stars from her skin. She had forgotten they were there.

Tears of healing dripped onto the wounds, instantly healing them…but there was no way she could heal the wound on her throat. She sighed in relief as some of the pain lessened and quickly dashed towards the fallen katana.

She grinned, ignoring the fact that she was about to collapse. A searing pain flashed through her skull as Frenzy and Ratchet both rounded the corner at the same time. Frenzy was quicker, as he was smaller, and he attacked her. Ratchet looked at them, alarmed at how Nexia was swaying back and forth. The power of the Eclipse was strong…however it was almost over.

Nexia was surprised when Ratchet called her name, snapping her attention from her thoughts. Frenzy jumped at her but his body froze as she shoved the katana through his spark chamber. She had been quick and managed to avoid his claws. Her throat was still streaming blood but at least Frenzy had been terminated.

His small silver body slid down on the katana, bringing Nexia down with him. She shoved him off her body and stood. The large thundering footsteps and slightly panicked feeling through their bonds alerting her that it was Ratchet. She turned, smiling as she looked up at him before her eyes drooped and she slumped forward.

"No!" Ratchet exclaimed, scooping her up into his hands, bringing her up close to his spark. He scanned her, shocked to find her energy was extremely low. Her heart was slowing down and her body temperature was way below than what she was used to. The large wound across her throat was still bleeding and it needed to stop.

Sunstreaker approached the medic, taking the winged girl into his own hands while Ratchet transformed. When the Autobot medic had completely transformed Sunstreaker gently placed her in the back. Her eyes were fluttering as she tried to stay conscious. The last thing she heard was the frantic voice of her bonded as she finally gave into the dark.

* * *

Several spark-wrenching hours later and Nexia was finally stabilized. Ratchet's spark was pulsing erratically with worry as the wound on her throat wasn't healing. She was now in another of her healing sleeps, healing the little scrapes all the shrapnel caused. The odd thing was the healing sleep was doing nothing for the wound Frenzy inflicted on her.

Ratchet was severely depressed, moping around the Medical Bay. He was trying to hide his uneasiness but the other Autobots knew him so well. He barely took his optics off her still body, constantly trying to figure out why she was still stationary. The only conclusion that he had come up with was that the injury was inflicted with Cybertronian metal.

The door opened to reveal Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, who were becoming like protective older brothers to the winged girl. They were devastated, not having their winged buddy to play pranks with. All three of the Autobots activated their holoforms, settling down around the sleeping girl.

The Autobot medic pulled her had into his lap and the twins each took a hold of her hands. Another hour crawled by and nothing changed, breaking the already cracked spark of the neon green mech.

Ratchet touched his forehead to hers and softly kissed it, willing her to wake up. Primus seemed to have granted his wish because she weakly squeezed Sunstreaker's hand. His blue eyes widened in happiness as he pushed his blonde bangs out of his face, Sideswipe doing the same with his fiery colored hair.

"Nex? How are you feeling?" Ratchet asked her, looking intently into her eyes. He ran another scan on her body but all seemed well. She smiled and opened her mouth to respond but no sound erupted from her mouth.

The three looked at her, confused, until a look of realization dawned upon her. She looked at Ratchet and he winced, feeling the sadness seeping through their bond. Ratchet glared at the twins, not bothering to say anything as he picked her up. They shrugged, dismissing their holoforms as they left the Medical Bay. Ratchet walked over to the other side of the berth, setting her down in her cot while staring her in the eyes.

"Nex? Can you tell me what's wrong?" he asked gently, no waning to startle her. She shook her head sadly, a tear trailing down her face. He cupped her face gently and lifted it so that he could see into her eyes. Her eyes were sparkling with sadness, tears threatening to spill over once again.

"Why not?" he questioned her, wondering why she wouldn't talk to him. She opened her mouth and tried to talk but not a sound came out, like before. He furrowed his brows in curiosity as he scanned her throat, but finding nothing amiss. She sighed and created a sort of circle with her hands, hoping Ratchet would catch on. He did eventually as she deflated even more.

"The Eclipse…mixed with Frenzy's attack." he gasped suddenly, drawing her to him. She finally broke down, throwing herself in his lap, and wrapping her arms around his neck. No sounds escaped her mouth as she sobbed on his shoulder, his arms sneaking around her waist. He sighed sadly as he buried his face in her hair, gently setting her down as she cried herself to sleep. Ratchet then vowed that he would fix everything bad and protect her from the world's wrath.


	17. The Autobot Strategist

**Consider this chapter revised!!**

**Thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon: I don't know...I thought it would be a good twist but now that I look back on the chapter it seems kind of...not in the flow with the story. Ahh, oh well. I fixed the situation in this chapter and I'll probably leave the alchemy in my FullMetal Alchemist fanfiction I'm writing.**

**Starstreak 777: Yeah, alchemy is awesomely cool!**

**OH!! DONT FORGET TO VOTE IN MY POLL! **

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**The Autobot Strategist**

* * *

It had been four days since Nexia lost her voice and she had gotten somewhat used to being mute. She hadn't needed her voice back when she was a youngling and now she only used it for communications purposes.

She was smart, though, and could find other ways of communicating with her loved ones. She now wore a small silver bell around her wrist provided by Wheeljack and Ratchet. Wheeljack thought that it was mainly his fault that she lost her voice in the first place since he was the one who thought that they should dabble with the liquid chemicals. The bell helped her announce her presence when the Autobots were busy and the only drawback was that she could no longer sneak up on Ratchet.

Nexia still visited the glaive near the Autobot base by herself, often taking Kenai, the small fox, with her. Ratchet rarely left her side, which she was grateful for, and the other Autobots were very supportive. The winged girl could tell, however, that the Autobot medic missed their conversations. Jazz even gave her a small whiteboard to communicate on whenever she felt the need to express herself in words.

It was like every other day around the Lennox household. Since Nexia had no use for summer school, since she was being tutored by an Autonomous Robotic Organism who happened to be the Commanding Medical Officer, she had decided to watch the sunrise from the roof of the Lennox's house. Sunrises were her favorite – she preferred them over sunsets.

Ironhide was to her left and Ratchet was to her right, both sitting back in their bipedal modes. They leaned casually against the side of the house – it had been reinforced with steel to hold their weight.

A small smile graced the winged girl's lips as she thought back on the previous months; those were some of the happiest months of her life. It was exceptionally hot outside, causing her to strip down to a blue sports bra and a pair of black spandex shorts underneath a teal spandex exercise skirt. They were quiet, each enjoying the others' presence, until a loud beeping noise broke through the air.

Ironhide glanced at the other two figures briefly before answering the small message left on his Communications System. It was a nice night – he had ignored the message at first but eventually listened to it due to the prodding of Nexia. The silence was restored until Ironhide broke through it, once again, to convey his message.

"Apparently an Autobot is due to arrive in several hours. He didn't communicate with us because his long distance communications systems were damaged in a fight with some Deceptions. He will land one hundred miles south of here but will meet us at the lake where we first met Nexia." he stated, turning back to watch the rest of the sunrise.

Suddenly, the soft jingle of bells indicated that Nexia was laughing, crying, or writing something. There was no need for her to cry and he couldn't have possibly said anything that would make her laugh, so the only logical response would be that she was writing something. Ironhide hoped that her writing would be legible…but somehow Ratchet could always understand the winged girl's writing.

"Wow! I think that was the most Ironhide has ever said at once! Shocker." Ratchet read aloud. Ironhide playfully glared as she trembled from her pent up laughter. The Autobot medic wistfully sighed, wishing that he could hear the winged girl's laughter once again.

"Yeah…yeah." The Autobot Weapons Specialist grumbled, playfully turning away from the others. He was above pouting, however, but his actions made Nexia laugh anyway.

Once the sun was up fully Will stepped out of the house, fully dressed in a casual pair of shorts and a white tee. Nexia stood, stretching as Ratchet helped her from the roof. He gently cradled her in his hand, despite the fact that she could have easily flown to the ground, and carefully set her on the ground. The winged girl rushed inside, changing into a pair of jean shorts and a white halter top. She pulled on her ever faithful ninja sandals and was ready to go.

"Ready, Nex?" Ratchet asked her once she came out of the house. She nodded excitedly and took off, looking back to her spark mate while pointing to the sky. He nodded, albeit a bit worriedly, and let her fly. It wasn't like he didn't want her to fly…he was just worried for her safety.

"Alright, but if you get too tired you can always ride in my cab." he said, looking at her with loving optics. His optics stayed trained on her as she lowered herself in the sky, never wavering as she turned to look at him. Nexia smiled back at him and winked, blowing a kiss in his direction. The medic chuckled as he transformed, following the battle-hardened Weapons Specialist and the winged girl.

The mute winged girl sighed happily as she rose higher and into the clouds, letting the water vapor soak in her wings and dampen her hair. The moisture felt wonderful in the upcoming sweltering heat. The day was just beginning and it was already hot.

It had been forever since the other Transformers had let her go flying by herself. Nexia knew that Ratchet was only worrying about her safety but it was Frenzy's fault that she had lost her voice. Hopefully, with the power of her spark, she would be able to get the use of her voice back. There was a chance, however, that her voice would be gone forever.

The winged girl rose higher, above the clouds this time, and let the sun dry her clothes of the dew from the clouds. Her wings stretched, the large muscles pumping in order to heave her higher in the air. She had taught herself to hold her breath the higher she went in order to conserve oxygen. Therefore she was able to go higher than any plane would dare.

Eventually she straitened out, glancing around to find where the lake she was supposed to meet the others at. Finally, she spotted it – it was surprisingly close to where she was - and dove down, gliding on the air currents towards her destination. The air felt so good against her body and she was regretful to leave it…but she wanted to meet the newest Autobot.

Much more to her surprise she was the first one at the lake. It seemed like she had been in the air for much longer than she really had been. The others must have been moving more slowly than she thought, or they were either held up by Decepticons.

Nexia knew that they would be able to handle themselves and continued on to land near the water. She sat down, after taking off her sandals, and dipped her feet in the cool water. The warm sun beat down on her as she relaxed, leaning back on her arms. The coolness of the comforting liquid calmed her worries as she felt herself relaxing even more while she was waiting for the others.

A few minutes after she began relaxing there was a rustle in the brush. She turned, thinking that it was one of the Autobots that were coming to the lake with her. She froze, though, when a strange mech met her gaze, frozen as much as she was. The winged girl cocked her head to the side, somewhat realizing the paint job over his protoform. Optimus had talked about him a little bit.

"Are you Prowl?" she asked, standing up. In her state of curiosity she didn't realize that her voice was back. Suddenly, the large mech had his plasma weapons trained on her, causing her to cry out of shock.

"How do you know my designation, wingling?" the mech demanded, powering up his plasma cannons. He was calm, as if he was facing a foe, but his movements were sharp, like he was weary of being in battle. His optics narrowed slightly, convincing Nexia that this was, indeed, the Autobot strategist. He was contemplating his every move and weighing the consequences.

"I don't know if Ratchet told you this but I'm his spark-mate! I'm telling the truth!" she exclaimed, waving her hands in front of her face and taking to the sky. His eyes trained in on her as his weapon followed her every move. Her wings beat nervously as she hovered in front of the Autobot Strategist.

"Improbable. An Autobot cannot mate with a fleshling. An Autobot cannot mate anything without a spark." He said, narrowing his optics. His weapon emitted a vicious warning shot, smoldering a tree that was to her right. She screamed and ducked, instantly dropping back towards the ground. She was afraid that Prowl was going to shoot at her again but she was scooped up in another mech's warm hands.

"Prowl! Stand down!" Optimus' voice echoed throughout the clearing as she quivered in the mech's hands. A probe of her link let her know that it was Ratchet as she started to relax…but she refused to relax completely.

"What do you think you were doing, Prowl? Did you not think of the possibilities that she could, in fact, be my mate? Is she not of Cybertronian origin?" Ratchet's deadly calm voice growled at the strategist. Prowl, himself, looked taken aback as the medic glared at him.

Nexia guessed that Ratchet usually had some sort of respect for the large white mech. He, too, had taken on the guise of a police cruiser, but he had the proper words running down his arm. His 'teeth' were not sharp…or existent…and his optics were a gentle but sharp blue color. Optimus led Prowl over towards the other mechs, plus the humans who came with them, leaving the medic to talk with the winged girl.

"Are you alright, dear one?" Ratchet's worried voice broke Nexia from her thoughts. She jumped, turning towards the larger form, and smiling sheepishly as he chuckled a bit. She nodded and smiled, causing the medic to smile as well. He didn't hear her before and didn't know that she could speak.

"Don't be mad at him, love. I surprised him because I knew his name." she mumbled, ashamed. She lowered her gaze as he looked back at Prowl, suddenly stopping and whipping his head back towards the winged girl. His optics flickered in surprise, not believing that she could suddenly speak again.

"Nex?" he asked slowly as if he were hearing things. She looked at him a bit worried; he was acting like she had done something wrong. It was silent for a moment before she replied.

"Yes?" she replied, cocking her head to the side. His optics widened in surprise before his face split into a large grin. The winged girl became confused, wondering why her mate was grinning. She looked at him for a moment before she gasped loudly in realization, bringing her hands up to her throat. Tears came to her eyes before she smiled widely.

"Oh my god…I can speak!!!" the winged girl exclaimed, drawing the attention of the other mechs. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe rushed to the duo, each demanding her attention. The red mech would get her attention for a few seconds before his twin would shove him out of the way.

"Speak to us, beautiful!! Let's hear that angelic voice!" Sideswipe exclaimed, optics happily gleaming. Sunstreaker was smirking behind him as they all laughed giddily, happiness practically radiating from their forms. They continued to talk, enjoying the sound of Nexia's newly regained voice as Ratchet questioned Wheeljack about her recovery.

"I truly don't know. My best guess would be that the chemical mix has worn off and that the effects her healing sleep has finally kicked in. It looks like there will be a little scarring, though." The inventor said, pondering Nexia's situation.

She didn't care as she was happy one way or another. Her attention was drawn from her thoughts, however, when the white-silver strategist approached her, meekly smiling in an attempt at peace.

"I must apologize for my rash actions. I did not know that you were one of the last Phoenixes of Cybertron. I also apologize for accusing you about lying to be Ratchet's mate. Optimus has informed me of the situation, however, I am still questionable about your fighting technique." He explained, bowing his head in submission. She smiled, accepting his apology, and stood, ready to do whatever the mech requested of her. She would prove her fighting technique was capable.

"What do you suggest? I will do anything required of me." she asked curiously, wanting to get the request over with and enjoy her time at the lake. It was a special place for her and she wanted it to still be filled with special memories. After a few seconds Prowl's voice dragged her from her thoughts.

"How about a friendly spar with Ironhide? That will show me you are competent to fight for the Autobot cause and Ironhide needs to brush up on his skills a bit." The white mech concluded, earning a heated glare from the Weapons Specialist. Nexia nodded her head in agreement, taking to the air as the other Autobots created a circle around the two. It was silent and still until suddenly…Nexia attacked the huge black mech.

The winged girl took to the sky, tucking, diving, and curling between Ironhide's legs and causing him to become dizzy. His plasma cannon was whirring but he couldn't focus due to her buzzing about.

Once the winged girl was behind the great black mech she felt the familiar sensation of heat welling up from her hands. She smirked noticing that her hands were once again alit with flame. The effects of the Eclipse was finally done. Nexia smirked, powering up her Phoenix Flame, and chanting a spell that would multiply its power by tenfold.

"Zhuque, the fervid Phoenix, Lord of the South, his enchanting song pouring fourth from his mouth. Rubicund feathers smothering his frame, he takes flight; his glittering glory none shall tame. One who possesses astounding knowledge is he, Appearing with good fortune; at a time none can see. Representing the Empress in wedded euphoria, moving with such grace - like that of a geisha. PHOENIX FLAME!" the winged girl shouted as the spell came to an end. The red ball came alight with dancing colors and hues of all intensity.

The wild flaming ball in Nexia's hands exploded into the shape of a great Phoenix, causing Ironhide's blue optics to widen in alarm. He had never faced a foe like this. The other mechs whispered to each other in awe, never seeing the likes of the fire-bird before.

The flames danced as if they were alive while Nexia's eyes closed in concentration. Her eyebrows furrowed as she started flexing her fingers. She spread her wings, the great bird copying her movements while it let out a musical cry. Ironhide ducked as the legendary bird dove towards him, his aft heating up and turning red due to the immense heat. The Weapon Specialist yelped in surprise, causing the others to laugh at his expense.

Nexia's eyes were glowing softly as she reopened them, continuing to control the great flaming bird. A red tint was added to them because of the glowing embers of the Phoenix's fire. Feathers shed from its wings, puttering out once they reached the dirt on the ground.

Only Ratchet seemed to notice the small beads of sweat trailing down her temple. He was concerned for her welfare but didn't want to interrupt the intense battle that was currently taking place. It would seem like he was being overbearing. The winged girl gritted her teeth as she concentrated harder, narrowing her eyes as she summoned more of her strength to make the bird larger.

Suddenly the flaming bird exploded in a shower of dancing sparks, reforming itself into a majestic black fiery unicorn. The flames smoothed out to make soft fur while his mane stood wild, waving in the wind. Its tail flared out and elongated to reach the ground, even though he easily stood at sixteen hands. A gleaming horn adorned his head while a small beard protruded from his chin to match the small flames emerging from the back of his diamond-like hooves.

The mechs stood amazed as they had no knowledge of her powers being this stupefying. Some of the pathogens must have still been in her blood, enhancing her fire powers. Nexia's wings became tired, causing her to float gracefully down towards the ground. Ironhide took this time to try to attack the winged girl but the unicorn stomped his strong fore hoof, causing the ground to shake under the weapon specialist's feet. The ground before him shattered, causing Ironhide's foot to get stuck in the Earthy mass.

"Whoa! What?!" the great black mech exclaimed, coming to a halt in front of the horned figure. He managed to rip his foot from the ground, growling at the flaming unicorn. Nexia finally settled upon the unicorn's back, eyes glowing brighter as she upped the power she was feeding to the flamed unicorn.

"Now…attack with a Fire Spin!" she commanded the unicorn, tightening her thighs as the unicorn reared, neighing into the sky. His mane flared into life, spewing black fire towards the surprised mech. It was about to circle around the mech and incase him within the heat but it suddenly stopped, causing the Weapon Specialist to blink his optics in surprise. He looked around, finally setting his gaze upon the smiling winged girl.

"Pretty good, huh? I think it was." she asked, while petting the unicorn. The flaming unicorn neighed in response, nodding its head as she stroked the small flames that made up his coat. She patted his side as he winked at her, slowly fading into oblivion as she jumped to the ground. She turned back to the mechs, laughing soundly at their surprised faces. She sure showed them! She smiled softly, preparing herself to answer a lot of questions in the near future.


	18. The Infamous Fight

**Hey, guys!! I was pondering during school and I suddenly got a brain blast!! Hope you like the chapter!**

**Thanks to:**

**TFSTARFIRE - Thanks! I'm glad you think my story is awesome.**

**Starstreak 777 - I know! But the extent of her powers is going to be shown soon. In this chapter, though, you shall see the downfall of her powers.**

**Stesuna the Dragon - I know! I was actually thinking of naming him. Have any ideas? I was thinking of something like...Xylon or something...**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**The Infamous Fight**

* * *

Nexia sighed, getting fed up with all the tests that the Autobot medic and scientist were doing on her. Wheeljack understood her plight and wanted to let her have a rest but Ratchet refused, wanting to finish the testing.

The winged girl knew that Ratchet was worried about her and only wanted the best but it was like he had forgotten why they were running tests in the first place. He would wake her at all hours of the night and have her do all sorts of tricks with her fire, some she was sure was not good for her body with the amount of energy it was using. Nexia wanted desperately to say something but she didn't want to upset the medic.

Ratchet may have not noticed it but their bond was weakening. He was ignoring her needs in favor for the testing…so she decided that she didn't want him to know she was suffering.

Currently she was sitting atop the flaming unicorn, several suction cups attached to her chest to monitor her heart rate. Nexia was uncomfortable with the fact that the suction cups were so close to her breasts. The unicorn stomped his hoof in irritation, snorting flame from his nose.

The winged girl closed her eyes tiredly and yawned, trying not to fall asleep. The two mechs had been running tests on the winged girl for the better part of a month and it was seriously draining her energy. Right now she was struggling to keep the flaming unicorn in their reality but she was determined to finish the tests that the two mechs required - though she was uncertain how she could keep the unicorn maintained.

"Ratchet? Can I please take a break, love?" Nexia asked, yawning again. Her energy was draining quickly but it seemed like the test was never going to end.

"Ratchet?? Are you even listening to me?" the winged girl asked. She shook her head, wincing slightly when a searing headache was starting to form. The energy usage was starting to cause a downfall on her body. Nexia grit her teeth, willing herself to stay strong.

Did Ratchet not notice how much stress that this one test was doing to her? When he asked about doing the tests he seemed so sincere and truly concerned for her welfare…did he not care for her anymore? This thought caused her to sink further into her dark feelings that crept into her mind. Her depression was creeping up on her as she bit her lip, crawling in the darkest recess of her thoughts.

When the Autobot medic merely grunted she looked down, hurt that he wouldn't respond to her question. His optics were focused on the computer screen, never straying or looking at his mate. This further caused her suspicions to rise as she thought he wouldn't want to be her spark mate any longer.

Nexia bowed her head, wings drooping behind her, before she lifted it again to seek out his optics. He seemed to have been ignoring her but he didn't seem to notice her spark dimming in his subspace. She lowered her head once again and dismissed the fiery unicorn, landing on the berth while the machines went dead. It was only then that Ratchet turned back towards her, an annoyed look on his face. His metallic eyebrows were furrowed and his optics were blazing.

"What did you do you stupid femme?! I lost my data! Now we'll have to start all over again!" the furious medic exclaimed, pointing an angry finger at the winged girl. She gasped, insulted at being called a stupid femme.

He rose from his position in front of the computer screen as it went black, sending out a couple of beeps before quieting itself. Nexia looked up at him, curiously before deciding that she had enough. She had enough of the testing and enough of being ignored.

The winged girl, in turn, narrowed her eyes - the emotional strain of the past few weeks finally taking its toll on the girl. Nexia decided she was not going to stand for this anymore. She was going to be treated like a normal Phoenix - like she had before. She rose, ripping the suction cups form her skin; the suction cups peeled off a little of her skin, causing little drops of blood to form on her clothes. She didn't care – she was to furious at the moment.

"Data? Is that all you freaking care about?! Have you even taken a look at my spark lately?! No, you've been to busy doing your precious tests to stop and care about me." she hissed at the medic. The angry medic scoffed at her, watching as she stumbled to her feet, almost cutting herself on the edge of the berth that she was sitting on.

"Does it always have to be about you? You're the last Phoenix, big deal. You are weak! You faint all the time and now that I have to do these tests you whine and complain!" the medic scoffed. He had no idea how much that hurt the Phoenix's feelings. Her eyes flashed with tears but the medic didn't care.

A fleeting look of concern was lost within the angry pools that were Ratchet's optics. He knew he shouldn't be angry but he hadn't gotten any recharge in the past three days. He was twice as grouchy as normal and didn't realize that he was doing something that he was going to severely regret in the near future. He stared into Nexia's eyes, which were filling with tears.

"If I didn't stop now I would have died. It's not like you would have felt it since our bond is so weak now." she stated, voice now deadly calm. The medic narrowed his optics as the door to the Medical Bay opened, letting Wheeljack and Prowl enter the room. She couldn't believe that with Ratchet being a medic that he would overlook the fact that she would have died.

"You don't know what you're talking about. You're not a medic. I know what's best for you." The Autobot medic haughtily explained.

"Oh really? It's in my best interest to be worked to death? You don't care that I would have died! Some medic you are!" Nexia huffed, glaring at the Autobot medic. The tears that were welling up were now falling freely down her cheeks. Wheeljack and Prowl didn't know what to do. They've never seen the couple argue before. Not once.

"Leave my Medical Bay! NOW!" Ratchet roared, pointing towards the door behind the two confused mechs. At first she didn't move but she flinched when the angry medic hefted his favorite wrench, threatening to throw it. She rose into the air, wobbling as she barely had any energy left to fly. She glared defiantly at the medic but suddenly her expression changed into one of sadness.

"Fine…but…just so you know. I am leaving the base for good since you think I am nothing but a burden." she whispered sadly, causing the medic to blink in sudden confusion. The confusion did not last long however as his anger started up again as he pointed harshly towards the door.

The other two mechs gasped as she flew out the door, ignorant of the look of shock upon the medic's face. He didn't expect her to leave…he thought that she would continue the fight with her fiery spirit. After all she had won many an argument with both Prowl and Ironhide with her wit and tact.

He waited until the winged girl had completely left the room. She only looked back once, a sob leaving her dry lips and one last tear running down her already marked cheeks.

Ratchet then steeled himself, opening his subspace and gently pulling out her spark. His optics widened in alarm at the sight of the once magnificent spark. Instead of the beautiful and energetic shimmer it was replaced by an almost dead hum. It was a nasty shade of black – not even close to the original shade of shining blue-silver. It barely filled the jewel's center casing and there was a small, spider web of a crack on the front. It was true. Nexia would have died due to the strain on her spark.

"Dear Primus. She was right…" he whispered as the other two mechs gasped. The medic cradled Nexia's spark to his chassis as he yelled at himself within his processor. If mechs could cry in their bipedal mode he would be balling like a baby. The two others came forward, Wheeljack placing a comforting hand on the medic's shoulder.

Suddenly, the computer sitting before them beeped, rapidly printing out the results of the day's tests. The medic glared at the blank computer processor, almost willing it to explode. Ratchet cursed himself for even letting this study take over his life…but he wanted to make sure that Nexia was safe. Wheeljack studied the results for a minute before turning towards the other two anxious mechs. His facial plates, that could be seen, were serious.

"It seems that Nexia's fire grows with her emotions. I'm afraid with her unstable state she may collapse; her spark may never recover." he said, despair laced in his voice. The inventor's optics darkened with is depression as his fist tightened. He hated feeling that there was nothing he could do.

Ratchet clenched his hand tightly, cursing himself once again because the entire situation was his fault. Prowl came forward this time to console the distraught medic. The Autobot medic slumped over, putting his hand over his face in his grief. He was trembling in despair, hugging the depleted spark to his own in hopes that his spark would restore it.

"It's all my fault! If only I hadn't pushed her so much! We would have gotten the same results but only later! Now she's gone!!" Ratchet groaned as the other two consoled him. He continued his rant while Sunstreaker and Sideswipe burst through the doors in the Medical Bay. They were confused – why wasn't the Phoenix girl with the Autobot medic?

"I only wanted to help her!" the medic wailed, slumping over, a lone tear of energon sliding down his face. The splatter of the tear hitting the floor shattered the silence of the mechs. The other four looked at the medic in complete shock. It was completely impossible for a Transformer to cry…but Ratchet had done the unthinkable! Prowl opened a private link with the twins, giving them a pointed look.

_**Nexia has gone from the Medical Bay. Have you seen her? It's important.**_ the strategist questioned, a rare and fleeting look of worry flashing through his optics. The twins stopped, looking at each other before responding. It worried them that Prowl was worried because of Nexia's absence.

_**Yeah. She just let the base in a real hurry. What happened? She looked sort of weak and she was balling her eyes out.**_ Sideswipe answered, shaken at the intensity of the situation. Sunstreaker narrowed his eyes at Ratchet, suspecting the mech of doing something to the winged girl. The Hatchet was known for his infamous temper…it must have finally shown itself to the winged girl.

Suddenly, the medic looked up towards the twins. The look caused all of the anger Sunstreaker had towards Ratchet to disappear when they saw the look of pain on the old medic's face.

"She left. Nexia left. The only one who could ever love an old mech like me left. She left and it's all my fault." the medic wailed, slumping forward again and letting his head crash down upon his desk. The winged girl's spark was still nestled close to his own, pulsing weakly. The golden warrior grew furious at the scene, deciding to take matters into his own hands. He surprised everyone when he walked up to the medic and hit him upside the head, glaring him in the optic.

"Yeah, she left. Yeah, it's your fault. That is not the point right now! You need to go and find her before she does something stupid!" the yellow warrior growled at the medic. The stunned medic looked up at Sunstreaker, softly cradling Nexia's spark in his hand. He didn't want to admit it but the golden warrior was right.

"Nexia is surely exhausted, not to mention highly emotional because of your fight. We must find her or her energy imbalance could kill her, with or without her spark." Wheeljack said, lowering his head. He sighed, grinding his jaw underneath the protective mask he wore.

It took about two minutes for the information to sink in before Ratchet hurriedly subspaced the precious item, dashing from the Medical Bay as he went. The others let the determined medic have a head start before they, too, dashed from the Medical Bay. They transformed together in one fluid motion and were off to find the one who was important to them all. Ratchet desperately prayed to Primus to keep the winged girl alive until he could get there to apologize.

NEXIA

Nexia's eyes drooped from the lack of energy she had flowing through her body. She knew it had been a stupid idea to fly but she needed to get away from the Autobot base and it was the quickest way.

She had been flying for six hours strait and she knew that it was a bad decision. The winged girl was low on energy to begin with but she wanted to distract her mind from the current situation. It was too painful for her. The winged girl wanted it all to end; thousands of years of running only to find love and have it doubted was something she didn't think she could handle.

She slowed, landing from the long and tedious flight. Somehow she ended up where it all began: Tranquility Lake. Nexia closed her eyes and sighed, not bothering to wipe away the lone tear that made its way down her face. It seemed like she had been doing a lot of that lately. Crying that is.

So many good things had happened here but her last memory of this place was the thing that had started all of this conflict. Why did her powers have to grow?! Why did she have to accumulate all the powers of her deceased brethren?! Sometimes she cursed herself for being the last of her kind. Maybe, if there was one other, she would have felt so utterly alone.

Nexia dropped to her knees in front of the choppy water, tears welling up in her eyes. The wind was picking up and strewing her hair around her face. She turned, now taking not of the katana that was strapped to her back. The winged girl laughed slightly at her inability to notice something so important. If they had thought competently then they would have found her faster because of it.

The winged girl felt guilty – she was convinced that she was the one to blame for this misfortune. She felt that she should have waited the test out. It didn't necessarily mean that she would have died…but if she did then it didn't matter. Her bond with Ratchet was so weak at the moment he wouldn't have felt the deep depression as with other bond mates.

"It's my entire fault!" she cried out, finally letting the tears fall freely down her face. She hunched over with her hands over her face, crying out all of her sorrows. She didn't bother hiding how she looked – it wouldn't matter soon anyway.

It had been months since she had last cried her heart out…and that had been over the possible death of her kitten, Asuma. Eventually she calmed down as she stared out over the water. She was falling deeper and deeper into a depression as she thought that she had nobody left that loved her.

"He does not want me anymore. My life has no meaning left." Nexia whispered to herself. She was alone at the moment so nobody would notice if she were to die. Ratchet wouldn't feel it. She had been contemplating her death for a while now and now it seemed like a good idea.

She glanced towards the katana that the black weapons specialist had given her. She imagined her hot crimson blood flowing down the copper but then thought against it. The winged girl decided that the sword was too special to saturate it with her blood. It was a gift from a good friend…and it would remain unsaturated.

If she had tried to drown herself there was a chance she could survive. Nexia would need to be even heavier than she normally would have been…but she could not muster the energy to chance that she would live. She thought about sitting in the same spot for the rest of eternity but the will to die became too strong. It was calling out to her.

Nexia stood, walking towards the waving and entrancing motions of water. She didn't have the time to fly back to the Lennox household and get the knife. Ratchet's shout echoed throughout her mind, causing tears to well up in her eyes once again.

"Get out of my Medical Bay!" echoed through her mind as she walked slowly through the small wade pool, the water licking at her legs. It was like thousands of knives were being stabbed through her flesh. The water was biting – it would make sense since it was the middle of December and she only had on a pair of shorts and a tee.

Ratchet's voice echoed throughout her thoughts as she waded towards the middle, now submerged up to her knees. She was about to go further but a sudden, sharp pain hit her chest. The pain was almost unbearable. Nexia doubled over clutching her chest, and crying out from the pain. She could feel the blood welling up in her throat as she coughed it up.

"My god." she whispered as the stream of blood stained the clear water below her. She lost her balance and fell forward into the water, the pain seeping at her strength. She was totally submerged, unable to fight her way to the top. The winged girl floated limply down into the watery abyss, unaware of the loud splashing and the change in the current of the water. Her last thoughts before passing out were those of the one she angered.


	19. The Medic's Sorrowfilled Cry

**Hey, Guys! Consider everything up to this chapter revised. XD**

**Story time!! Has anyone seen the newest Batman movie? The Dark Knight? Well I just had an ice hockey game on Saturday and I had to do a double take because the time-keeper was dressed up as the Joker! It was awesome! One of the referees came over to my coach and was like: "Don't upset the Joker! He can rig your car to explode!". It made my day even though we lost 5 to 3.**

**Anyway! Thanks to:**

**DemonGirly91 - Yeah, I would totally kick Ratchet's ass...or at least yell at him...a lot.**

**TFSTARFIRE - Yeah, depression is horrible. I've never experienced it first-hand, though. Don't worry - read the chapter to find out what happens to Nexia! ^^**

**Elita One - lol *poke* continue reading to find out!**

**Stesuna the Dragon - I have to thank you for helping me come up with a name for my unicorn. He'll play a big part in the next couple of chapters! *hint hint wink wink***

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**The Medic's Sorrow-filled Cry**

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Because of their previous encounters Ratchet decided that the best place to look was the lake where all of their important memories were held. All of their chance meetings seemed to take place there. He remembered all of the good times that they spent there, spark lifting somewhat, and remembered when she looked into his optics for the first time.

The injured winged girl had trusted him and automatically knew that he was an Autobot - one of the good mechs from Cybertron. Even then her beautiful and haunting eyes sent his spark and processor wheeling, making him feel something that he hadn't felt in thousands of years…not since Moonracer. It made him feel important…and able to love.

The Autobot medic had to admit that he missed the blue-green femme… but it was a silly little crush; she was only his best friend. He thought he was in love at the time but it was all in his head. He was in love with the idea of being in love. What he had with the Cybertronian Phoenix was something much greater than anything he could have had with the other femme.

After a few hours of searching he decided to go by himself. He sent the others back towards the base to create a sort of stabilizing serum to help her fire powers. The panicked medic sped towards the lake, hoping that she was there, and if she was that he wasn't too late. It was his entire fault that she was so emotionally unstable in the first place.

"Please be there." the medic whispered to himself as he sped towards the great body of water in his vehicle form. He cursed himself for being so slow while moving on the ground while Nexia may be suffering as he thought. It wasn't his fault being the shape and weight that he was…but he was blaming himself.

He sped on, finally coming upon the lake of Tranquility. His spark beat painfully within its chamber as he prayed to Primus that he would find her in one piece. The Autobot medic tried to reach through their bond…but he grew more desperate when all he could feel was wave after wave of diluted pain and despair.

Suddenly, the frantic medic heard a strangled cry, causing his spark to tighten painfully once again. It started pounding erratically within his spark casing…he refused to picture the worst possible scenario within his processor.

He launched himself forward through the foliage just in time to see Nexia disappear under the choppy waves of the lake. Her eyes were closed and her jaw was clenched in pain - the attacks had started! Ratchet let out a panicked shout as he reverted to his bipedal mode, dashing towards the blood-stained water, and tears of energon streaming down his face once again.

"NO!! No, no, no…" he cried out hysterically, which was a far cry from his normal calm and grouchy attitude. He moved as fast as he could as he shoved his way through the waves, crashing his hands through the water and underneath the shadowed outline of her body. She hadn't moved much…which was probably due to her light weight.

The Autobot medic hastily removed her frail form from the large body of water and mentally cursed himself at the sight of her drastically pale skin and drooping wings. She looked like she was dead. Her lips were blue due to the lack of oxygen and a trickle of blood escaped from between them. Her skin was the color of paper…and her veins were almost completely visible.

The skilled medic quickly set the winged girl upon the ground and reverted back to his vehicle mode. He could feel the pulse of Nexia's spark getting fainter so he activated his holoform, rushing to his spark mate's side. He whimpered mentally, trying to push the feeling of helplessness away from his spark.

He injected a serum he concocted back at the base to help increase her heat temperature…but she would need mouth to mouth resuscitation in order to help her breathe again. He couldn't pause here; time was of the essence. Ratchet could only hope that he wasn't too late.

He gently rolled Nexia onto her back, mindful of the great wings that were hanging limp away from her body, and pinched her nose shut. He grasped her chin and forcefully but gently blew air into her mouth. He then pressed down on her chest ten times, pumping the air back out of her respiratory system. He repeated the process several more times as he felt tears well up on his holoform's eyes. Maybe he **was** too late.

"Please, Nex. I can't live without you. My life has no meaning, no purpose without you. I'm sorry…" he pleaded, glasses sliding down his nose due to the tears. He was about to push down on her chest once again but she jerked, water spewing from her mouth.

His eyes were wide and a large smile was immediately planted on his face as he thanked Primus for saving his mate. The Autobot medic quickly turned her over to her side to let her cough up all the water that accumulated in her lungs. When she was done Ratchet quickly sank to his knees and pulled her into his lap, burying his nose into her wet hair.

"Oh, Nex. Please forgive me for being an inconsiderable old fool. I love you so, so much." he whispered into her hair as she blinked into confusion. She was wondering why she wasn't dead. She looked around her surroundings as her eyes widened, finally remembering the reason she was there. She tentatively looked up at him before smiling shyly, bring a weak hand up to cup his face. It wavered so Ratchet brought up a hand to help keep hers up.

"Ratchet? What are you doing here?" she rasped questionably, bringing her hand back down to wrap her arms around his waist. At the sound of her voice he started whispering apologies into her hair. He didn't' want her to see his bloodshot eyes.

She looked up at him for a second then kissed him fully, effectively silencing him. He pressed his lips against hers in a desperate attempt at reassuring himself that she was actually alright. Her lips against his was like euphoria - he was sure that their bond was beginning to mend itself. They broke apart as Nexia reached up to wipe away some stray tears that were still sliding down the medic's face. She was surprised - she didn't know that holoforms could cry.

"I'm sorry, Ratchet…" the winged girl mumbled as her eyelids drooped. She was getting really tired…but she knew that she had to stay awake. All of the lessons from Ratchet swarmed through her mind; if she went to sleep then she could slip into a coma. The medic's facial expression changed from remorseful to surprise. He thought for a moment why she would be sorry but couldn't find an appropriate answer.

"Why should you be sorry?" he asked softly, lifting her chin with his finger so he could look her in the eyes. In them he found self-loathing; something he never wanted to see in her eyes ever again. The winged girl still sat on his lap, not that he minded, but she started fidgeting and biting on her lip in embarrassment. It was also mostly due to the fact that she was cold.

"I should have kept testing. I didn't mean to make you angry but I was just…so tired. I knew that you wanted the data and I knew that you were only trying to help…but I was afraid that my spark would shatter if I kept FlameSpark summoned any longer." she finally looked away, shame apparent in her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at the medic any longer. She thought that it was her entire fault.

"No." Ratchet finally said, voice filled with his own self-loathing. The winged girl was not accustomed for his voice to sound like that; Ratchet had always been a prideful mech. Nexia jerked her head back up to look at his face, surprise evident on her own. She cocked her head to the side as if she were trying to solve a puzzle.

"What did you say?" she asked, carefully scanning the face of the medic. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were blazing with anger…but the anger was directed at himself. The winged girl was shocked with the tone he used but she was determined not to let him see. She only wanted things to go back to the way it once was. The medic drew his arms from around Nexia's waist and instead cupped her wet face in his sturdy hands.

"I am the one who should apologize. You've done nothing wrong. I admit that running all those tests had caused me to loose my focus…but all I wanted was the best for you, love. That is no excuse, though, and for that I apologize. I just wanted you to be alright." he said, lowering his forehead to rest atop of hers. Her lips trembled as if the winged girl were about to say something but the medic beat her to it.

"No buts. I love you now and forever. Never doubt that." he said, smiling warmly at her. She smiled back, gently brushing his light blonde hair out of his face. She kissed him on the lips, licking them slowly as she asked for entrance.

He pressed back just as gently but suddenly Nexia froze, another searing wave of pain rippling through her system. She let out a strangled cry as her eyes widened to the extreme. She collapsed into Ratchet's arms, unaware of the frantic medic shouting her name.

Ratchet gathered her in his arms and began rocking her back ad forth in an attempt to calm the pain. Tears gathered in his eyes as he murmured words of soothing in her ear. He waited with a sense of helplessness as he watched his lover writhe in his arms. The Autobot medic stroked her highlighted hair, trying to calm the massive spasms racking her body.

"Deep breaths, love. Please…concentrate on breathing. Can you do that for me? Please?" the medic pleaded, trying to ease the pain of his beloved. He couldn't stand being useless when his sparkmate was in pain. If he could he would sap the lightning attacking her nerves and take on all the pain himself. She nodded but suddenly doubled over to cough up a mouthful of blood. That was new! She shouldn't be coughing up blood - it should only be attacking her nerves!

Ratchet was startled by the beeping of his scanners as they went haywire, indicating that there was a Decepticon in the area. Ratchet swore and quickly activated his mass communications equipment. He looked around the area, sensors going into overdrive as he tried to spy the Decepticon.

_**Ratchet to Autobot Base. **_the medic said, picking up the still slightly convulsing girl. She whimpered with the pain but clenched her teeth in an effort to keep from crying out. She knew they had to be quiet; she sensed the Decepticon in the area. She felt it through her bond with Ratchet.

_**Autobot Base, here. What is your position, Ratchet? **_Sunstreaker's worried voice answered. Ratchet scurried to a clump of overgrown bushes and set Nexia down behind them. The shade of her tree kept her body hidden and the brush added an extra effect as well. They effectively hid her wings although the medic couldn't help but worry. He knew that the Decepticon would not hesitate to kill her if they saw her. Then the Cybertronian Phoenixes would be extinct.

_**There is a Decepticon closing in on our position and Nexia is suffering from her condition! We need backup! NOW! Get your aft over here, now, Sunstreaker or by Primus I'll reformat you into a toaster! **_Ratchet screamed as the scream of a jet tore through the clearing. His worst fears had been confirmed. It was Starscream - the Autobot medic could recognize the sound of his thrusters any day. The worried medic swore again as a shot came close to the bushes that he hid the winged girl behind.

_**Ratchet. We're sending some backup! Hang on! Don't let Nex be hurt or I'll murder you! **_Ratchet heard the yellow warrior's reply but had no time to confirm as a familiar silver-gray jet landed in front of him. The Decepticon sneered at the Medic's holoform as he landed, causing Nexia to whimper softly.

Ratchet only had a few seconds of time to dismiss his holoform and transform into his bipedal mode. The jet transformed in mid-land, hoping to take the Autobot medic by surprise, but Ratchet was too swift. He smirked, thinking that Autobots would always be superior to Decepticons. He stopped that train of thought immediately - thoughts like that would only get his mate injured.

The Autobot medic caught Starscream by the torso and threw the Decepticon over his shoulder. The silver-gray jet shrieked in rage as he barred his teeth, coolant dripping from his mouth. It was a repulsive sight and Nexia shuddered in disgust. The medic could feel Nexia's spark shuddering in pain but even though he wanted to rush to her side the medic knew it would only induce chaos.

Starscream smirked, knowing that Ratchet was worried about something; the look on his facial plates gave it away. The Autobot medic's optics were flickering and his heart simply wasn't in the battle. Since he was a Decepticon that meant that Starscream didn't have to play by the rules.

He sent a swift uppercut to the unsuspecting medic, causing him to go crashing into some of the trees near Nexia's hiding spot. He became entangled within the branches, cursing himself yet again for his lack of attention towards the situation. Leaves and pieces of bark got stuck in his wires, causing tiny jolts of pain to go through his system. It didn't matter; his internal repair system would take car eof that.

"Come now, Autobot. You fight like a sparkling. Show me your true strength!" Starscream cackled, deviously scanning the surrounding terrain for what was distracting the Autobot's medic. That slagging fleshling was probably hiding around here somewhere.

Finally, the jet spotted a pair of familiar glowing organic eyes gazing through a hole in the bushes. Starscream smirked yet again as he fired a round from his plasma cannon, burning a hole into a large tree on the other side of her hiding area. The tree broke due to the strain on the trunk, coming to a crash next to the winged girl. She screamed but instantly slapped a hand over her mouth, closing her eyes in embarrassment. Now Starscream knew for sure that she was there.

"Nexia!" Ratchet screamed, jumping to his feet when he finally disentangled himself from the forests' branches. His spark was hammering away inside his chest but that was not the point. He had to make sure his mate was safe. He would do anything to protect her from the chaotic mind of Starscream.

The medic rushed to the aid of the winged girl but when he had his back turned Starscream found his chance. Oh he was a conniving evil sonofaglitch. The silver-gray jet slashed Ratchet's shoulder with a blade made from solid energon, carving deep within the medic's metallic flesh. Ratchet fell to his knees and grunted in pain while Nexia screamed in terror, causing Scarscream to smirk in victory. Tears welled up in the winged girl's eyes once again as she whimpered in fear.

The medic knew the situation was bad; the wound he sustained was on the back of his shoulder…so there was little he could do to staunch the heavy flow of energon. Starscream smirked and raised his photon cannon, prepaired to shoot the medic in he spark chamber and end his life. Oh, how he was enjoying the satisfaction of ending an Autobot's miserable existence. He was about to pull the trigger but a loud shout caught his attention, causing him to look over to where the winged girl was hiding.

"Wait!" she shouted up to the large mech, panting in pain. She stood, ignoring the twinges of fire that spread across her nervous system. The waves of pain had still not receded but she would do whatever it took to make sure that no more harm would come to the medic. She closed her eyes and took a breath before opening them once again. This time they were set in determination.

"If you let him go then I'll come with you…willingly." she said, panting slightly. She was regaining her breath, which was good, but if she didn't receive the serum in time she would continue having pain attacks until her spark failed. There was no cure.

"NO! What are you thinking?! Don't do it!" the distraught medic pleaded with her. He was weakening quickly and she knew her time was short. Nexia sent a pointed glare in the silver-gray jet's direction. Starscream looked back and forth between the two figures, trying to figure out if taking the little organic creature was worth it. Finally, he voiced his opinion on the matter.

"What will I gain from letting the Autobot weakling go? What can you possibly do for me?" the Decepticon sneered in her direction. His optics narrowed as she straitened and flapped her wings, rising into the air even though it took much of her effort. She rose until she was level with the Decepticon's optics.

"My powers have grown since the last time we have met, Starscream. I can revive mechs and I can summon the Grand Phoenix, Xylon, and the superior Black Flamed Unicorn, FlameSpark. I can heal and be a great asset: you can trade me for the Allspark shard." she said, raising her head up proudly. The silver-gray jet contemplated her offer before he finally smirked. He would be able to obtain great power in exchange for her.

"Fine. I accept your offer." Starscream cackled, grabbing the winged girl from the air just as his scanners started beeping, indicating that several other Autobots were on their way. Nexia scrambled to grab her katana from the tree she had set it in before the evil jet had a chance to take off once and for all. He threw the winged girl high into the air, jumping into the air himself, before shooting the medic in the leg to make sure that he wouldn't be able to follow them. The winged girl screamed in fury as Ratchet started to cry once again.

"NO! Nexia! No!! No…" the medic wept as Starscream took off into the night sky with his spark mate. The pain became unbearable, causing Ratchet to stagger as he tried to rise. The screeching of tires could be heard as Wheeljack, Sunstreaker, and Sideswipe came racing into the clearing. Wheeljack automatically raced to his friend's side while the twins scanned the area for any sign of the Decepticon creep. They were furious as they noticed the familiar jet trail of an F-22 Raptor

"She's gone **again**! I was supposed to **protect her**!!" the medic wailed in a pain-induced hysteria. He banged his fist upon the ground as Wheeljack shushed him, placing a hand upon Ratchet's shoulder. Ratchet froze, shoulders tensing as he looked up, causing the other three mechs to freeze in slight fear. His optics were not the familiar blue color of an Autobot…but instead they were pure white - the color of a mech drowned in fury.

"Mark my words, Autobots. I **WILL** take my revenge on Starscream and I **WILL** get Nexia back." he stated as Wheeljack injected a sedative into Ratchet's main energon lines. The other three mech's looked to each other in a silent agreement. They would help the medic in any way possible to get their little winged one back safe and sound and to help administer the healing serum. She was, after all, the spark mate of the infamous Ratchet.


	20. Moonracer is alive!

**Consider all chapters up to this completely revised.**

**So, anyway, thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon - I'm sorry I didn't use any of your names but I suddenly thought of 'FlareSpark' because of being a flamed unicorn. His major attack would probably be something along the lines of attack the spark directly with fire(hence the name). Your ideas were appreciated, though.**

**DemonGirly91 - Yeah, just one new surprise after another. I'll give you a hint of the next chapter - Screamer is in for some huge aft-kicking!**

**Elita One - I don't know...should I kill Screamer?? I could turn him into a brain-dead slave mech or something.**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**Moonracer is alive?!**

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Ratchet's optics snapped online as incredibly vivid images of a wounded Nexia flashed through his processor. Images of her chained to a wall, broken and bleeding while crying out his name haunted his very thoughts each waking hour of the day. He could barely get any recharge for the haunting nightmares that plagued his recharge.

He blinked, rubbing his face tiredly as he checked his internal clock. Once again he awoke at an odd hour: four in the morning by human standards. He would have prescribed himself some sleeping pills but human medicine didn't work on Cybertronian beings.

It's been one week exactly since Nexia was captured by Starscream and not one day has gone by that Ratchet didn't curse himself for his stupidity and carelessness. Because of his rash actions Nexia was taken by the Decepticon bastards, albeit she went willingly. The Autobot medic blamed himself for being weak; if he hadn't been weak then she wouldn't have had to give herself up.

Ratchet still thought that it was his fault even though the winged girl smiled softly at him as they left. The old medic grunted sadly as he rose from the berth, wounds still stinging painfully after a while. He had gotten Wheeljack to solder them back together…but the pain of loss was causing them to ache.

Every so often some of the other mechs would come and visit him, trying to ease the pain of his broken spark. Ratchet would had been convinced that she was dead had it not been for the faint glowing and pulsing of her spark next to his. It had recovered only a little…but then it would let out a source of energy and flicker dangerously light.

They had no idea where the Decepticon base was…so there was a small chance that they would be able to infiltrate it. The Autobot medic had stayed up late every night running plans through his processor…but Prowl only shot them down. They were too dangerous for him to go by himself.

The only good thing about their situation was that Ratchet and Wheeljack had completed the serum that would stabilize her emotions. There would be no more attacks on her nervous system and hopefully her spark would return to its normal strength. The depressed medic could only hope that they would be able to get to Nexia in time.

* * *

Nexia awoke to the seventh day of her nightmare. Every day for the past week she had been tortured, sustaining countless amounts of injuries. She would survive by dreaming of her Autobot lover…of the warm feeling his spark would send to hers. Even though she was miles away she could still feel the warmth.

The worst injuries she could feel, though, were the large lacerations across her abdomen, the puncture wounds on her wings, and she was pretty sure that her ankle was broken. She was sure in a pinch but she wouldn't trade her position because if she had it would have Ratchet who was in trouble. She was content with her decision.

Although…since Megatron was dead she didn't feel quite so overwhelmed. It was he who murdered her grandfather and her people. Since he was gone she felt as if she had a chance at escaping. No offense…well yeah. It was meant to be offensive. Starscream was a complete dumbass.

Nexia drooped her head down onto her chest, as her arms were chained to the wall. There was no room between her wrists and the wall so her arms were sore from hanging so long. There were deep cuts on her wrists from struggling; blood dripped freely from the wounds.

A tear shimmered down her cheek as she thought of her spark mate, finally free from her constant chattering. He was probably blaming himself for her choice. At least he was safe and the Decepticons were stupid enough to allow her Ironhide's katana. If only she could reach the button that activated the homing beacon's new upgrade! Wheeljack helped her install a special communications system if she inputted the right sequence. I would save her the energy of trying to escape.

Suddenly, the door to her cell was pried open and a small female robot was shoved in, causing her to stumble before crashing onto her face. It was done quickly and before the femme could stand the door was hauled shut once again.

Nexia looked shocked before she smiled slightly, happy for the company. As the femme stood Nexia was able to get a better look at her armor. It was faded with years of being pushed around. Her gears squeaked and she was in much need of repairing. The small femme had grime and dirt all over her light blue-green armor. She had silver highlighting her arms and had bright blue optics, signaling that she was an Autobot.

Nexia was proven correct when the femme jumped up, twirling around to face the assaulter. The Autobot insignia was engraved in her upper left shoulder, showing that she was of the Autobot faction. The winged girl was happy – now she would be able to get free and activate the communications feature added into her Katana. She was the only one who could do it; if the femme tried to do it…well she'd be in for a surprise.

"I figured that dirty femmes should stick together." the black and white mech sneered, glaring at the two females that were occupying the cell. Nexia recognized the black and white police vehicle – it was Barricade. Both females glared at the offending mech, Nexia growling in irritation.

"Frag off, Barricade" the light blue femme hissed at the Decepticon. The cop car hissed in response before shirking off back into the shadows. He glared at the winged girl; he was probably still sore that she killed his partner.

The familiar blue femme massaged her stiff joints before turning to the winged girl. Optics and eyes widened before the dusty femme drew her hidden blaster from her subspace pocket. Targeting the winged girl the femme curled down on one knee, keeping the blaster trained on the immobile form. Nexia's eyes widened in disbelief; she was chained to a wall for Primus' sake!

"Who are you? Why are you here?" the femme demanded, narrowing her optics. Nexia hesitated, looking at the familiar blue optics before answering the femme's question. She really did seem familiar.

"My name is Nexia. I am the last Phoenix of Cybertron." she introduced herself, still staring at the femme's familiar optics and facial plates. There were no femmes in the Autobot base and the last picture she had seen of any kind of femme was a picture of Moonracer, Ratchet's friend who was killed. Wait…that was it! She was Ratchet's presumably dead best friend, Moonracer!

"Moonracer?! Is that you??" the winged girl exclaimed suddenly, catching the dusty blue-green femme off guard. She looked at Nexia for a moment before raising her small blaster once again. Her optics narrowed and glinted red for the briefest of moments; Nexia, however, didn't catch the change in the dusty blue-green femme's optic color.

"How do you know my name, Phoenix? How do I know that you're not a sleazy Decepticon spy?" she questioned Nexia, voice dangerously low. The poor femme had probably gone through some tough times at the Decepticon base. The dusty blue-green femme threatened to pull the trigger on her small blaster as the winged girl blanched, trying to come up with an appropriate answer.

"Wait! I'm from the Autobot Earth base…with Ratchet! I'm his spark mate!" Nexia cried out, closing her eyes and expecting the excruciating pain from the Autobot's weapon. She was praying that Moonracer would believe her…but it was a long shot. She had been stuck in the Decepticon base for who knows how long. When the winged girl felt no pain Nexia cracked open one of her eyes to meet the confused face of the Autobot femme.

"How do I know you aren't lying?" Moonracer asked, finally lowering her weapon and packing it safely away in her subspace. She was still cautious, however, and kept her hand near her subspace pocket. That way she could easily draw her blaster again if need be. The dusty blue-green femme's expression was no longer one of anger and surprise but more of pure curiosity.

"His nickname is the Hatchet. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe gave it to him ten thousand years ago…and he used to sit on the Autobot council before he became a medic in the war." Nexia whispered, smiling softly. She knew this was proof enough as only Autobots knew of the medic's nickname…and even fewer knew that he was on the council. Moonracer was one of them.

The dusty blue-green femme smiled suddenly, laughing out in delight as she rushed towards the chained girl. She was happy that the winged girl was of the Autobot faction.

"Oh my Primus! It's been so long since I've had company! I've been held prisoner by the Decepticons for Primus knows how long! It's even better since you're a femme as well." the dusty blue femme exclaimed, lowering herself to become face to face with the chained winged girl.

"It's fine, Moonracer. I know how it feels to be alone for a long period of time. Ratchet told me about you, you know?" Nexia said, smiling softly but wincing when she moved her ankle in a bad way. Moonracer, whose grin faded into a concerned frown, swiftly appeared by the winged girl's side. The dusty blue-green femme scowling at the sight of Nexia's injuries. Her glare intensified when she saw that her new friend's arms were cuffed to the wall.

"You're injured. And what do you mean that Ratchet told you about me? What did he say? I hope it wasn't anything bad…" heat was rushing up to Moonracer's cheek plates. She looked away, embarrassed about the conversation. She looked back when Nexia whimpered softly as she reopened one of the gashes along her abdomen. The winged girl coughed softly as specks of blood stained her lips.

"I remember that day. I was shot in the chassis near my spark chamber. I did come close to off lining but a Decepticon took pity on me and fixed me up. I've been a prisoner here ever since…" she said softly.

Moonracer looked down at the ground, now becoming soaked with Nexia's blood. It seems as though the gashes had reopened themselves in all the excitement. The dusty blue-green femme gasped, immediately taking grasp of the iron holding her winged companion to the wall. She was a robot…which meant that she was stronger than the winged girl by default.

"No, you don't have to…you might hurt yourself…" Nexia mumbled, looking Moonracer deep in the optics. Her eyes widened when she saw determination, anger, and a hint of…regret? What would Moonracer regret doing? Suddenly, the winged girl felt a searing pain shoot up her arms, causing her to fall into a crumpled heap to the ground. She coughed, freezing up as another emotional attack seized her frame. The white hot fire spread through her nervous system; it was worse than before.

"Primus! I didn't know it would hurt you that much! I'm sorry!!" the blue femme exclaimed, taking Nexia into her arms as the winged girl convulsed. Finally, the seizures stopped but a small trail of blood seeped from between her lips. She looked up at Moonracer weakly but shook her head. Nexia coughed, spitting out all the blood that had made its way to her mouth.

"No, it wasn't you. My condition is a long story. It wasn't your fault…" Nexia said, explaining how she came to be in her condition. Moonracer sat, cradling the winged girl in her arms as she listened intently to the tale. Her jaw clenched in anger as she thought about the Decepticons…and how she came to be in the dark, dingy cell.

The dusty blue-green femme's optics were transfixed on the small girl in her arms, jumping when Nexia's eyes suddenly met her bright blue optics. She squirmed a bit, making Moonracer set her down gently upon the stained floor. Nexia stood, walking shakily to the katana sitting in the corner. Moonracer's optics flared as she watched what the winged girl was doing. She watched the winged girl closely, hand still by her subspace pocket…just in case.

"No! Violence is certainly not the answer! What are you doing?!" her startled cry died down in her throat as Nexia shot her a confused and bewildered look, picking up the katana by its scabbard. The dusty blue-green femme had thought that she was going to harm herself.

Moonracer shook her head sheepishly as she motioned for the little organic to continue what she was doing. Nexia pressed a small button, hidden within the rope wrapped around the hilt of the sword. Suddenly a small, thin rod ejected from the hilt, transforming itself into a small headset. It was unfortunate that the homing beacon that was installed had been damaged during the flight over here. The winged girl looked back at Moonracer and smiled, happy as the dusty blue-green femme was smiling with such radiance.

The two femmes didn't have to worry about any of the Decepticons barging in on them because there were no cameras. It was basically a soundproof room as well. Most of the guards were well timed on when they wanted to appear…but just in case they had to be quick.

All of the Decepticons were most likely in recharge, snoring away in the upper parts of the base. They were still in California but she didn't know exactly where. The winged girl was just glad that they weren't underwater. It would have been much too difficult to perform an escape.

All she knew was that they were able to fly to Tranquility Lake in about five and a half hours, which would put such a strain on her injured wings. Nexia had a plan, though. She didn't know if she had enough strength but she was determined to get Moonracer back to her best friend.

Nexia was going to summon Xylon and have him carry Moonracer, as Phoenixes can carry immensely heavy loads. The winged girl was going to ride on the back of FlareSpark. The Black Flamed Unicorn could break the speed of sound.

The dusty blue-green femme watched intently as Nexia donned the headset, concentrating on locating the signal. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Ratchet's internal communications unit. The winged girl wanted to communicate with her spark mate so badly. Her spark still had a faint connection with his…all she had to do was concentrate.

It was all static at first…but then she heard the voice she had been dying to hear for the past seven days. The winged girl nearly cried out of joy but she held back her sob, instead giving the thumbs up to the femme beside her.

"Nex?" Ratchet's voice asked in disbelief. She could hear the doubt in his voice as her eyes welled up with even more tears tears. Moonracer caught on to what happening as her optics also was filled with happiness, coming up behind Nexia and wrapping her in a gentle hug.

"Yeah, Ratchet. Oh, you don't know how I've longed to hear your voice again, love." Nexia whispered breathlessly, tears streaming down her face. She was listening to her beloved and right then she knew that everything was going to be alright. They would make it out alive.

* * *

Ratchet had been wandering around the base for the past several hours, just wandering aimlessly before ending up in his Medical Bay. He sat down heavily at his desk, not paying attention to anything around him. He was like a ghost.

He had a stack of paperwork on his desk, neglected by the medic because of his worry for his sparkmate. He barely noticed when Wheeljack made his way into the Medical Bay but Ratchet had no energy to shout at the white inventor. The white mech knew that the Autobot medic was feeling terrible…as was he but it was not to the degree that Ratchet was feeling. Nexia was one of his best friends in a way.

Wheeljack stared at his friend sadly, wanting to help ease his friend's pain. Suddenly, Ratchet's head started buzzing. It was indicating that someone was trying to contact his internal communications system. Wheeljack began talking softly but stopped abruptly when Ratchet raised a hand. Ratchet's metallic eyebrows furrowed in confusion before a look of realization covered his face. Suddenly the medic's eyes started watering with tears of energon, alarming the scientist.

"Someone's trying to contact my internal communications system. The only ones with the codes are the Autobots and Nexia. The other Autobots know not to contact with me now. I think Nexia is trying to communicate with me somehow!" Ratchet exclaimed, his optics widening in excitement. The inventor's own optics widened before he grabbed a chair and sat down next to the medic.

"Well? What did she say? Can you hear her? Can you respond back?" Wheeljack asked, babbling away in worry. He knew better, though, and was keeping his optics on the mech in front of him. He was only shushed by the medic as he seemed to be in a form of deep concentration.

"Nex? Nexia, can you hear me?" the medic whispered, activating his loudspeaker for the communications system. Suddenly her melodious voice appeared over the speaker, bringing wide grinds, and tears for Ratchet, to the mechs' faces. They knew that she was speaking to all of the Autobots.

"Yeah, Ratchet. Oh, you don't know how I've longed to hear your voice again, love." she whispered softly, causing the two mechs to strain to hear the winged girl's voice. Wheeljack discreetly sent a message to the other Autobots currently in the base before turning back to the medic. He said that they should gather around and listen from Ratchet directly.

"Nex…are you alright? Have you been harmed by the Decepticons?" Ratchet asked franticly, wanting to know the extent of the damage done to her currently frail body. He knew that Starscream would have at least experiment on the winged girl's body.

"I…yes." she said, her voice laced in disdain. She obviously didn't want the medic to know about her obvious pain lest he feel any worse than his current guilt. He wasn't being fooled as his metallic eyebrows furrowed even further. Wheeljack's hand was forming a fist, his grip was denting his own palm. He didn't care at the moment; he'd have Ratchet look at it later.

"Yes to the first question or yes to the second?" he demanded, voice sharp. He was angry…no…he was downright furious at the Decepticons. They had no right to harm something as charming, wonderful, beautiful, and delicate as Nexia. He could feel the anger radiating from the inventor beside him as well.

"Yes…to…the first, love. I am alright…but I suppose I should tell you the extent of my injuries from the torture." she sighed, finally giving in to the medic's prodding. Just as he was about to reply the twins came charging into the room, followed closely by Jazz and Optimus. He supposed that Prowl, Hound, and Bumblebee were on duty but he decided not to dwell on the fact. They would come when they would come.

"What are the extent of your injuries?" the medic asked, now aware that the others were in the room with him. He motioned for the other mechs to take a seat around him. When they heard him mention injuries their faces went from ecstatic to furious. Nexia was close to them all.

"Well…I have several puncture wounds to my wings…from needles I suppose. They did that when I was unconscious so I don't know how they got there. I have three large lacerations across my abdomen and my ankle is most likely broken. I walked to my katana but I had to ignore the pain to save my dignity." she replied, suddenly sheepish. The mechs around the room grew quiet, a murderous look upon each of their faces. Ratchet, himself, looked like he was ready to kill any who stepped into his path. It took all of his willpower not to get up and search for the winged femme then and there.

"But that is not why I contacted you. I wanted to say that I can escape but I need your help. Meet me by Tranquility Lake." she pleaded, sounding sure of herself. Ratchet wanted to object, to say that they would be able to rescue the winged girl, but he was unsure of the fact.

The medic agreed, sending a look to his leader. Optimus nodded his head, telling Ratchet to try to get the conversation started again. The medic was going to say something but the winged girl beat him to it.

"I found someone you might like to meet again, Ratchet." Nexia said, causing the medic to smile due to the happiness in her voice. As long as the winged girl was happy he was happy…no matter the situation.

"And who might that be?" Ratchet asked, suddenly wary of any who would try to manipulate his beloved. She wasn't naïve but she could be controlled if it were for the wellbeing of the Autobot medic.

"Moonracer. She's alive Ratchet." Nexia's voice said, sending Ratchet's processor reeling. He was extremely confused and the other Autobots were speechless. Moonracer was alive?


	21. The Great Escape

**This chapter has been revised.**

**I think I have another Transformers story in my mind. Anyone want me to tell it to them? It would be a Sam/OC story! I didn't really like Mikaela in the first place...**

**Anyway thanks for the reviews! One more and I break 70!**

**electrogirl88 - I don't know. I might have that happen and I might not.**

**DemonGirly91 - If I do give Moonracer her 'true love' who should it be? I was thinking either Wheeljack or Hound...**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**The Great Escape**

* * *

"What?" Ratchet's voice croaked, incredulously surprised at the new turn of events. Nexia smiled despite the pain from her wounds, flinching when she stretched her wings too far. It was kind of funny – Ratchet's reaction – but Nexia wondered how he would react once he saw the dusty blue-green femme in person.

"You heard me. You'll be there, right? She really wants to see you. I know that you want to see her again, too." Nexia said, glancing back at the dusty blue-green femme. Moonracer smiled brightly, nodding her head vigorously at the thought of seeing her longtime friend once again. She smiled evilly when Nexia turned back to the bars of the prison cell; the winged girl never saw her evil smile.

"We'll be there. We have the serum to cure you of your confliction, also. Can you hang on 'till then? If you feel like you have to stop I'll come and get you, alright?" Ratchet said, worry practically oozing from his voice. Nexia melted at the feeling of being loved, knowing that her spark mate was truly worried about her. She loved the fact that Ratchet was so caring…but she couldn't help but wonder if he still liked Moonracer.

"I'm sure, love. I have a plan, don't worry." she murmured, feeling her eyes droop. It was well, though, because they needed to wait until it became dark so that the Decepticons were very deep in their recharge once again. It was now morning and she could hear the large robots walking on the floors above them. She needed to end the communication soon…not that she wanted too.

Nexia could swear that the Decepticons were a bunch of lazy afts, not getting any work done anywhere and recharging all day. She wasn't sure, however, when one would pop up. Sure, they had assigned duties…but Barricade like to pop in once and a while.

"Ok, I trust you. I love you." he said, voice getting watery. Oh no! Ratchet was going to cry! At the sound of his tearful goodbye she started to get that lump in her throat. The winged girl's eyes started watering as well, knowing that this was probably the last time she was going to talk to him until she met him at Tranquility Lake.

"I love you, too, Ratchet. I love you so much." she whispered back, saying it twice to send her love through those simple words. She knew that if she didn't cut the transmission now then she wouldn't be able to cut it at all.

She pressed a button on the side of the headset, taking it off, and collapsing in a heap in front of Moonracer's lap. The dusty blue-green femme gasped in surprise, gathering the winged girl in her arms again. She laid back, settling up against the wall as she set her internal clock to strike at midnight, just when the Decepticons were in their deepest sleep. Nexia's head was facing the other direction, allowing Moonracer to smirk in accomplishment. She had gotten the winged girl to trust her.

"G'night Moonracer. Sweet dreams." Nexia murmured, nuzzling her head into her new friend's chassis. The dusty blue-green femme smiled slightly down at her new, organic, friend, happy to have found someone in her hellhole. It was sad, however, that she was going to rip Ratchet from the winged girl's cold and dead fingers.

* * *

"I love you, too, Ratchet. I love you so much." Nexia whispered through the communications system, voice echoing in Ratchet's Medical Bay even though she was whispering. It was marking the start of something dangerous…and it was very foreboding.

All of the mechs bowed their heads as if they were praying to Primus; none of them had the spark to criticize the medic with his open emotions. The poor medic had tears of energon rolling down his cheeks, as he softly called her name over the communications system. He chirped with disappointment, finally cutting off the crackle of static from the speakers.

Ratchet finally gave up trying to communicate with his sparkmate, instead concentrating on getting up and putting together an emergency kit to treat her wounds. By the sound of it Nexia had lost a vast amount of blood, which worried the Autobots. It worried the Autobot medic even more.

Since her emotions had been erotic it seemed like she was cut from her spark; she was capable of dying even though the spark may be intact. The spark itself would eventually wither and die out, leaving an empty case where a once brilliant soul gem once was.

Ratchet paused, optics darkening to a deeper blue than they normally were. They weren't going to go to white, like they did when the Decepticons kidnapped Nexia, but they were getting there.

The Autobot medic was enraged at the Deceptcons, remembering his vow to get even with a certain fighter jet. He jumped when Wheeljack knocked on the door to Ratchet's personal office, gaining the attention of his best friend.

"Don't worry, Ratch. We'll get her back. You just have to trust her. She'll come up with a decent plan. She's been hanging out with Prowl hasn't she?" the white scientist said, placing a comforting hand on the medic's shoulder.

Ratchet cycled his vents slowly, nodding his head to signal that he understood. His sparkmate was a rather clever female but there was the off chance that she could be wrong. He knew that he was either going to retrieve his spark mate or offline trying.

Suddenly, Optimus entered Ratchet's office, alerting the other two that was time to depart. Hound would be staying behind just in case there was to be a Decepticon ambush while the others were rescuing the Cybertronian Phoenix. He would be able to activate the base's initial Defense System.

"Let's go." Optimus commanded as the other two mechs followed him to the base's entrance. Everyone transformed, ready to take on possible Decepticon action. The twins were itching for a fight; Sunstreaker was expecting to execute some of his 'Jet Judo' moves that he was going to teach Ironhide, high-fiving his twin behind the grouchy Weapons Specialist's back.

It was only a few hours until they reached Tranquility lake. Why did it always seem like major events in Ratchet's life took place here? So many memories - some of them good and some of the bad.

Each minute felt like a decade to the impatient medic but he knew he had to put his faith in the winged girl. She had so much power at her disposal but only Primus knew when that power would finally fail her. Ratchet let out a sigh, settling down in front of the great body of water. Memories rushed through his processor but he knew that all he, or any of the mechs, could do was wait. It was torture.

* * *

Moonracer's internal alarm went off, sending a red flashing light through her processor. She groaned softly, trying not to jostle the wounded Phoenix who was lying on her chassis.

The dusty blue-green femme smiled softly at the angelic look on Nexia's face as she slept. A pang of sadness went through the dusty blue-green femme's spark - sad that Ratchet had already bonded. But that was soon going to change.

Of course he thought that she was dead but the truth is she had a bit of a crush on the grouchy medic back when they were friends. Actually, it was more than a little crush. Although she was disappointed that he had bonded she had to admit that she was happy if the medic was happy. NOT! She wanted to rip the winged girl to shreds…but not if her plan was going to work.

The dusty blue-green femme froze as the winged girl perched upon her chassis groaned, fluttering her eyes. Moonracer realized that Nexia was finally waking up as the winged girl sat up, rubbing her eyes and flexing her wounded wings. Nexia winced as the punctures stretched, pain flaring deep within her nerves. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle, however, as the attacks she had been having were much worse.

Nexia groaned, sad that her healing factor hadn't kicked in yet. Maybe it was due to the amount of stress she had been putting on both her spark and her body. Oh well, she'd never know.

Since she wasn't healed the plan was she was about to attempt was very dangerous. Not only would she be exerting a vast amount of energy but she could also crack her spark, resulting in her instantaneous death.

The winged girl shifted so that her legs were touching the ground, wings tucked close to her body so that the punctures wouldn't stretch as much. She looked up at the door to the holding cell, noticing that it was made of a familiar metal - an alloy that was easy to melt. She looked up into the smeared silver face of the dusty blue-green femme. Nexia had an idea.

"Hey, Moon'? How are you with melting things?" she asked, nodding her head towards the door and smirking. The blue-green femme grinned in return, pulling her small blaster from her subspace pocket. It would be good enough to melt the hinges from their cell door.

"Pretty good. Just tell me what to melt captain!" Moonracer said, laughing a little. Now was not the time to be neither sad nor depressed or their plan would be ruined. Plus…her plan of gaining the winged girl's trust would have gone down the proverbial toilet. Nexia stood, ignoring the throbbing pain in her ankle, to point at the two hinges on the door.

"Those are made of an alloy which is easy to melt. Melt those with your blaster and we're practically home free. If we can find our way out, that is." Nexia explained, hissing when she tried to walk on her ankle. Moonracer looked down at the tiny winged girl, obviously worried for her health. If she was injured when they got back Ratchet would be harder to trick.

"Why don't I set that first?" the blue femme suggested. Nexia looked up at Moonracer, curiosity blatantly clear on her pained face. Moonracer laughed and kneeled down to take the winged girl's ankle in her hands. Since she was a femme she was quite a bit shorter than the other mechs, thus not needing to use a holoform quite as often. It came in handy with the larger bots, too. She could reach the wiring in places normal mechs couldn't.

"You don't think I'd hang around the best medic in Iacon and not learn a few things, did you? Humanoids and Autonomous Robotic Organisms are really not that different if you think about the structure." Moonracer laughed, earning a smile from the winged girl. The dusty blue-green femme pulled out a pair of metal rods from another one of her subspace pockets, bending down to straighten the break. It would hold until she got back to the Autobot base.

Nexia hissed in pain as the femme pulled, a few audible snaps were heard as the bones realigned themselves. It was incredibly painful. Moonracer then quickly placed the rods on either side of the ankle, pressing a small button. Thinner, flexible, rods ejected themselves from the larger ones, quickly attaching themselves to each other and creating a bendable, yet strong, cast.

"Thanks." Nexia said, smiling up at the larger femme. Moonracer smiled back before becoming serious. Her baby blue optics sharpened, magnifying her targets to gain easy access. Two shots to each hinge and they were completely melted, dripping onto the floor. Moonracer subspaced her weapons and carefully picked up the winged girl, oblivious to the girl's protests. It would be easier to carry her.

"Moon! Put me down! I can fly…or walk now that you've set my ankle." Nexia squeaked in surprise as the larger femme snuck out of the cell. She quieted down once she realized the struggle had become useless, slumping back into the scratched chassis of the older femme.

"Moon? What's going on?" the winged girl asked, pushing her hair behind her ear. It had become loose during the torture…and it was caked with her blood. The dusty blue-green femme was silent until they reached the corner of the hall.

"What do you mean, little one?" Moonracer questioned back, optics still sharpened to detect any danger. She had to be nice to the fleshling if she wanted to get out of the Decepticon base.

"How do you know where we're going? Are we even going in the right direction?" Nexia asked her, cocking an eyebrow in confusion. Moonracer winced as if she were reliving a particularly bad memory. In fact she was.

"I tried escaping…once. I was almost free…but I was caught. I got as far as the entrance but then I was introduced to the wonders of the energon whip." Moonracer winced again while subconsciously rubbing a silver scar that ran across her shoulder.

They were quiet for the most part after that, only talking once and a while. Sometimes they would ask each other some questions and they promised each other that they would have a girls' night, including Mikaela. Moonracer was quite curious about the Autobot base, asking about its defensive system also.

When they reached the heavy door, which led away from the base, Moonracer sighed, setting Nexia down upon the disgusting floor. It was coated with all sorts of grime and dirt. The dusty blue-green femme investigated the door, cursing before sliding down the opposite wall and drawing her knees up against her chassis.

"I can't melt something that heavy with the size of my blaster. I need something bigger than what I currently have." Moonracer sighed again, sadly setting her forehead against her knees as she curled into a ball of disappointment.

Nexia smirked, pushing herself into a standing position. She looked back at the light blue-green femme and the smirk turned into a soft smile, reassuring the light blue-green femme that she had a plan. The winged girl closed her eyes and spread her feet, taking in a deep breath. She spread her wings, even though it was painful, and started reciting an ancient spell passed through her people. She was now the only one who could perform it.

"Light beyond the sacred years, passion beyond undying fears. One so mighty he carves his path, cursing foes who wield his wrath. Flames of sparks that grace his back, neither strength nor spirit do his highness lack. We shall destroy all before us with the power that you and I posses! Come forth, FlameSpark, mighty Black Flamed Unicorn!" Nexia shouted, biting deep into her finger.

She summoned her fire and mixed with the blood of her finger a form was molded. It solidified, showing a majestic black unicorn but this time he was solid - body made of flesh and not fire. Although his body was of a horned horse the figure's mane, tail, and beard were composed of angry fire, fiercely burning in the darkness of the corridor. Before, when he was made of fire, he only had his consciousness and not the use of his body. Now he lived to serve his mistress.

"Wow. That was awesome." Moonracer murmured, obviously amazed at the appearance of the majestic force. The Black Flamed Unicorn was still standing at least 16 hands but his amazing mane made him look much larger. Nexia smiled as the flamed unicorn nodded his head and turned towards the large set of doors.

It was unfortunate that all three of them were unaware of the little red and purple Decepticon hiding in the corner. He was twitching, but not as much as his twin would do, but he held a needle in his hand. It was waiting to attack either one of the femmes.

FlameSpark headed towards the door, getting as close as he could before his horn scraped it, before rearing back onto his hind legs. He screamed, letting his fire encase his entire body, before smashing his fore hooves into the door. Under the pressure of FlameSpark's diamond-like hooves the door cracked into tiny pieces of shrapnel. Moonracer's optics widened in surprise, glowing in happiness that the offending door was finally gone. Now she could set her own plan into motion.

"Good job, FlameSpark." Nexia commented, happily petting the Black Flamed Unicorn's sleek hide. He neighed happily, nuzzling his mistress' shoulder as she laughed. She turned to Moonracer, fighting to keep her eyes open. Summoning the majestic unicorn had taken a lot of energy.

"I'm going to summon the Grand Phoenix Xylon. The Grand Phoenix can carry an immense amount of weight so he can carry you to Tranquility Lake. Just tell him to keep you above the clouds…and you can scramble scanners, right?" Nexia asked her robotic friend. Moonracer nodded and watched, awed, as the winged girl summoned the Grand Phoenix. In a burst of flames Xylon appeared, singing a song that soothed everyone's nerves. Moonracer rose and, due to the ability for Xylon to change his size, climbed upon the back of the Grand Phoenix.

"Take her to Tranquility Lake. FlameSpark will carry me there as well as soon as I make sure nobody is following us." Nexia whispered into the majestic bird's ear. He chirped, nodding his head in approval as he flapped his fiery wings.

The flames upon the bird were controlled, not burning the metal armor donned upon the dusty blue-green femme as they rose into the sky. She waved at Nexia as they disappeared into the horizon, stars twinkling merrily in the night. Now the dusty blue-green femme could put her plan into action.

"Lets go, FlameSpark. I want to see Ratchet's facial plates." Nexia murmured, nuzzling her head into his soft flank. He nickered softly, bobbing his head up and down as he knelt down, ready to aid his mistress. He was so tall she needed help to mount him!

The winged girl was about to jump on his back but was suddenly attacked from behind. She shrieked, not caring about the noise anymore but was trying to dislodge the annoying thing that was scratching at her arms. It hurt. Blood was spraying from both new and old wounds, angering the Black Flamed Unicorn.

"Get off!!" she screamed as FlameSpark burned the offending attacker with his mane. She turned to the spindly red and purple mech and glared, backing up towards the Black Flamed Unicorn.

"Y-you k-k-killed my b-brother!!! Y-you k-killed F-Frenzy!!" he screeched, shooting throwing stars at her. Now she knew that the spindly familiar form from anywhere. He was Frenzy's brother!!

Suddenly, the little purple mech attacked, stabbing a needle viciously into her arm. The fluid inside the needle burned at the touch, causing her to gasp in pain. Something was definitely going wrong with their escape.

FlameSpark shrieked in anger behind the little red and purple mech, attacking the robot with his pearly horn. Nexia escaped from the rampage, hopping upon FlameSpark's back as they escaped the Decepticon's base. She fell forward onto his flaming neck, ignoring the warm sensation of the flames. She felt sick and was becoming feverish, chills wracking her already injured flame.

FlameSpark started cantering towards Tranquility lake, hoping that he could get his mistress to the Autobot medic before something else happened to her. He truly wished that the reunion between the two lovers would bring upon good fortune. He was going at an ungodly speed – breaking the speed of sound.


	22. Moonracer loved Ratchet!

**This chapter has been revised.**

**Ah...I don't know...I think I seem to be a better writer of angst than I am with happy and fuzzy moments. What do you guys think? Anyway, my poll will be up until I'm finished with this story and then I'll put another one up for the story to work on after that. ^_^**

**Thanks to: **

**Stesuna the Dragon -** **I'm thinking about an ending now and I'm not sure how to end it. Should it be happy or sad?**

**Demongirly91 - I know! I'd be so sad if Ratchet offlined himself since he is my favorite Autobot!**

**And a SPECIAL THANK YOU SHOUTOUT to for sending me such a wonderful personal message. Thank you for your kind words!! It really makes my day.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Moonracer loved Ratchet?**

Ratchet's processor was running miles per minute, trying to figure out all the possibilities why Nexia was taking so long. She had said that they were going to arrive not long after the Autobots did…but they were hours late.

His fingers were nervously tapping against his leg, showing his impatient nature. His optics were dim, occasionally glaring into a gentle glow but always settling back into its dull, empty blackness. He sighed, shuttering his optics from the moonlight, and picturing her smiling face in his processor. She was beautiful in his processor's eye.

The medic wanted nothing more than to escape from his fellow Autobots and go to his beloved but he knew that he could barely stand a chance against one Decepticon. If he could barely stand up to one how could he stand up to a base full of them? He was a medic for Primus' sake. He was neither built nor programmed to fight.

"Where are they? Has something happened?" he whispered to himself, shifting his position slightly. He clutched at his subspace pocket - the one where Nexia's spark was located. He didn't dare take it from its haven lest it crack and damage the winged girl even more.

He tried to calm his jittery nerves but his optics instantly snapped open once again when he felt Nexia's spark give a particularly peculiar shudder. It almost pained his own spark, which scared him. The jolt must have been excruciating for the winged girl. Something was desperately wrong.

"Optimus!" Ratchet exclaimed, jumping to his feet and rushing to the Autobot leader. The other Autobots were instantly aware of the situation as they gathered around the conversing mechs, sensing the panic in the medic's voice. Ratchet was not one to panic; it worried the other mechs that had gathered around him. Did something go wrong with the escape?

"Something is wrong with Nex. I can feel it in my spark. Something is happening to her." Ratchet explained, clutching a fist over his chest where Nexia's spark was beating erratically in his subspace pocket.

The other bots were about to say something to try to reason with the medic but the musical sound of a Phoenix's song surprised them into silence. The bots looked around, searching for the source of the melodious song. They hoped that it would bring their beloved Nexia back to them but the bots were in for a surprise. A large flaming bird lit the night sky but what surprised the mechs more was the one who was riding it. It wasn't Nexia.

"Moonracer…" Ratchet mumbled in awe, watching in shock. The dusty blue-green femme jumped off the large bird, running towards the group of flabbergasted mechs. She was limping a little; the flight had been a long one and her wires were sore from being in the same position.

"Ratchet!" she shouted, ears of energon welling into her optics. It surprised the mechs; it was now the second time they had seen a Transformer cry. When she got close enough to the group she jumped onto her toes, wrapping her arms around the startled medic's neck. Initiate phase one of her plan to seduce the Autobot medic.

"Moon? You're alive? I thought you were dead…I saw you **die**." The surprised medic whispered, still shocked at her appearance. He wrapped his arms around Moonracer's smaller frame but this hug was somehow different than all the others. It was more brotherly than anything. The dusty blue-green femme smiled sadly at the difference. The old gentle hugs were still gentle, but now it held the love of a friend and not that of a potential lover. It was sad but she would be able to change that soon enough.

"I didn't die. I was captured by a Decepticon where they tried to get information from me. I held strong, though." she said, a faraway look in her optics. She smiled sadly at all the torture that she was put through, but that was in the past. She was now a Decepticon spy. That would teach Ratchet to leave her on the field.

"Moonracer. Where is the little one?" Optimus' voice reverberated through the clearing. The phoenix, Xylon, had perched himself upon the shoulder of the powerful Autobot leader, looking back and forth between the two. The dusty blue-green femme's optics widened as she realized that Nexia had not yet arrived. That would definitely put a hitch in her plan!

"I-I don't know…" she said, horrified at the thought of the small winged girl trapped at the Decepticon base. Ratchet's happiness quickly melted into horror as well as his processor raced back to the stream of negative possibilities. She could be trapped once again…cold and alone…and in pain.

"She was right there…she was right behind me! She was right there!!" Moonracer yelped in shame as she covered her face. The Grand Phoenix flapped his fiery wings and chirped, trying to calm down the distressed femme before she caused any damage. He, of course, suspected of her treachery but as a Phoenix he couldn't speak the human tongue.

Ratchet looked over to her, noticing for the first time just how much she had changed. She was older, of course, but she seemed more compassionate. Her paint was faded and she was in need of a real cleaning, but she stood tall. Maybe if there was no Nexia, somewhere in a lost reality, they could have been together. Maybe…but the winged girl was the only thing in his life - his only love. It was non-negotiable.

Suddenly the thunderous sound of hoof beats filled the area. Moonracer jerked her head up and shouted, happy that her new female friend was not stuck in that hellhole of a base. Now, she could start her plan! Although the reassuring hoof beats let them know that she was out of the Decepticon clutches they could only wonder what condition she would be in when she arrived.

Ratchet transformed and activated his holoform as the magnificent form of FlameSpark rounded the corner. The medic's blonde hair was sticking to his forehead due to his nervous sweat; the heartbeat of the human body was hammering hard within his chest. His glasses kept falling down his nose so he finally formed his holoform without them. It wasn't like he needed them anyway.

Ratchet steeled his jaw, determined not to cry out in anger when he saw his beloved. She could barely wrap her arms around the black unicorn's neck as he carefully slowed to a stop in front of the medic. Her eyelids fluttered and her hair stuck to her forehead as well, due to a feverish sweat. The Decepticons had definitely done something to her.

The medic went to aid the winged girl off of the great being but the black flamed unicorn snapped at his hand, glaring into the medic's eyes. FlameSpark was beyond pissed and was determined only to get the best treatment for his mistress. He didn't trust Ratchet…yet.

"Stop, medic." FlameSpark said, deep voice reverberating through the area. Ratchet looked around the small clearing before he realized that the unicorn was speaking directly into his mind. He froze, arm halfway reaching up towards the girl possessing much of his thoughts. He had a feeling that if he didn't listen to the unicorn there would be dire consequences.

"She was struck several times in the arms by a tiny purple mech. The spindly one injected some sort of drug into her bloodstream. I am not sure what your serum would do to her if you injected it into her now." The giant behemoth of a unicorn said, bowing his head. Ratchet clenched his fist while the other Autobots seethed in anger. FlameSpark carefully kneeled down, finally allowing the worried medic to gather the winged girl into his arms. He now trusted Ratchet because of his reaction.

"Oh, Nex. Look what they did to you…" Ratchet breathed, helping her off the back of the great beast. The other Autobots gathered around the perimeter, just in case any Decepticons decided to ambush them while the medic was assessing the winged girl's wounds.

"It makes sense, though." Moonracer said, watching sadly as the Grand Phoenix vanished into a burst of flame, his song echoing throughout the area. Ratchet set Nexia upon a blanket he set upon the ground, and then turned to face the dusty blue-green femme. Neither was aware that Nexia could hear their conversation.

"What does?" the medic asked half heartedly, turning back to tend to his loved one. He peeled back her shirt to reveal the large lacerations gouged upon Nexia's abdomen. The large black flamed unicorn came up behind Nexia, laying down on his side to warm her with his fire. Her own internal flame was dying since her spark was fluttering.

"The Decepticons, mainly Starscream, want the little one dead. Why try to protect her when you're only delaying the inevitable and may likely be killed in the process?" the dusty blue femme asked quietly, placing a hand on the medic's shoulder. Initiate step two: make Ratchet second guess their relationship. Ratchet jerked away as if he had been scorched by one of Ironhide's plasma rounds, snapping his head around to glare at the surprised femme.

By this time Nexia couldn't handle the pain, grimacing as the white hot flames shot through her stomach and pierced her wings. Her ankle was just as bad as the white hotness licked at her nerves, sending her into the inky blackness once again.

"I want to protect her because I love her. I'll protect her with my very being. I'll gladly give my life for hers - like she did when I was cornered by Starscream one week ago." Ratchet declared. A lone energon tear made its way down Moonracer's cheek as she stepped away from the duo, turning her head to look at the star speckled sky. Phase two was a failure…but maybe she can get the winged girl to second guess their relationship.

"I loved you, you know? Back on Iacon, before the war. I loved you…but you've changed from the Ratchet I once knew." Moonracer said, starting to walk towards Optimus to give her report. The Autobot medic sat silent for a few moments before exhaling the breath he was holding.

"I loved you, too. I lied to myself but my feelings have changed. You've changed as well, Moonracer." Ratchet whispered to himself, turning back to tend to the winged girl lying underneath him. The experienced medic patched his mate's wounds as much as he could before he finally loaded her into the back of his vehicular mode. He could only pray that she could last until they returned to the base.

* * *

TIME LAPSE

* * *

Ratchet had finally been able to stabilize Nexia, much to the relief of the other Autobots and the humans. Sarah and Will demanded to be alerted exactly when Nexia awoke whereas Sam and Mikaela would be starting school soon. Since they were starting school they couldn't make it, thus they felt guilty. Mikaela promised, however, that they could have a girl's night the next weekend. Moonracer agreed but it was only if the winged girl awoke before then.

The medic had been keeping a much needed watch over the young one but his energy reserves were falling into critical levels. Wheeljack practically had to force Ratchet into stasis in the medic's office. The stubborn mech refused to part with his beloved any longer than necessary but eventually gave in when Optimus threatened him with time in the brig. If he were in the brig he wouldn't be able to perform his duties.

Moonracer, who had been cleaned from the dirt and grime coating her paint, opted to stay in the Medical Bay and watch over Nexia. She managed to stay awake for a while but her own exhaustion finally won over and she gave way to sleep on the berth next to the winged girl. Her plan to win Ratchet over could wait another few hours.

All was quiet when Nexia finally awoke; only the beeping of her heart monitor was there to keep her company. She groaned, suddenly aware of the clean sterile smell of her beloved's Medical Bay. She smiled to herself for the first time in a week but the smile quickly disappeared when she thought about the conversation between Ratchet and Moonracer. It bothered her greatly when she thought about it.

"Am I really worth their protection? Do I mean that much to them that they should risk their lives for my sake?" the small winged girl asked herself, bringing a hand to cover her face. She couldn't help but think lowly of herself.

She wanted to worry about the situation at hand, like the impending Decepticon attack, but Moonracer was stirring in the other berth. The dusty blue-green femme sat up, rubbing at her optics. Nexia wiped the sleep from her own eyes as they looked at each other, both silent from the shock of past events. It was then that Moonracer decided to put her plan into action.

"Am I not worth the Autobots' protection? Should they really risk their lives for me?" Nexia asked the now glossy blue-green femme. Moonracer's optics dimmed in shame, saddened by the fact that the winged girl had overheard their conversation. Or it looked that way to the winged girl.

"I don't know. I just don't want Ratchet to get hurt. Personally I don't think you are." Moonracer sighed, covering her face with one hand, much like how the winged girl was before. Nexia looked to the side, a tear rolling down her face as betrayal flashed through her eyes. It hurt; having Moonracer actually say that to her face really hurt.

"I would never intentionally harm him. I love him too much to do that." Nexia spat at her former friend. Moonracer would have to earn the winged girl's trust back once again because of her harsh words. It was a plush, though. The glossy blue-green femme's plan was now set into motion.

Suddenly, Ratchet appeared in the doorway of his office, weariness still apparent on his face. He didn't notice the fact that Nexia was awake as he went through the motions of checking her status. The glossy blue-green femme sighed and silently slid from her berth and once she was gone Nexia was confident enough to alert Ratchet that she was awake. She smiled half-heartedly, wondering how to alert him.

"Ratchet." she whispered, catching the medic off guard. He whirled around, surprised to see the wounded girl up and alert. In a flash he was transformed and his holoform was by her side, burying his nose into her hair. His arms were wrapped around her, careful of her wounds but tight enough to reassure him of her presence.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again." he whispered harshly, pulling the winged girl onto his lap. She smiled back at him, weakly mumbling an apology which was muffled from the rough material of his medical lab jacket. For at time that was all they did: sit and whisper sweet nothings to each other. They were content with that.

After a time Ratchet pulled back, holding his stern gaze as he looked into Nexia's eyes. Any other person or mech would have averted their gaze but the winged girl held strong, gaze only strengthening if any. Ratchet pulled the girl back from his chest; grip slightly tight on her shoulders. Now she was in for a long lecture.

"Nex, why would you do something like that? Why give yourself up for me?" he asked, hooking a finger underneath her chin to keep her looking into his concerned eyes. No tears gathered in her eyes; it showed how serious she was being.

"Because you're worth it. I love you, Ratchet." she simply said, causing him to smile softly and embrace her in a hug. She embraced him as well, happy to be in his arms, but a tiny voice in the back of her head questioned whether she deserved to be protected by someone as sweet as him.

* * *


	23. Am I Worth Your Protection?

**Consider ths chapter revised!!**

**Anyway thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon - I know! I'd go all bitchy on her titanium aft and get all up in her face! I decided to make her evil since its kind of a twist (and since I killed off Frenzy early I needed another character and didn't want to bring in another Decepticon.) I'm making it a happy ending especially for you because I was kind of torn between the two sides. ^_^ Thanks for reviewing so much - you're one of my inspirational muses because you actually read my authoress' notes.**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**Am I Worth Your Protection??**

* * *

Ratchet hardly left the winged girl's side all through the night, worried that she would somehow disappear. He was at her every call and catered to her every whim, not giving Nexia any time to argue even though she said she was fine. It somewhat annoyed her but she knew that the Autobot medic was only worried about her health.

She could hardly sleep through the night, the warm embrace of the medic ceasing to pacify her wandering thoughts. The heat from his body was trying to entice her into a sweet sleep but Moonracer's words kept replaying through her head. The harshness of them made her wince but she had to wonder. The winged girl sighed, needing someone to talk to in order to rid herself of the negative thoughts.

"I'm sorry, love, but I need some time to think." Nexia whispered, kissing Ratchet's serene face. She brushed the holoform's blonde hair away from his eyes, watching as he smiled softly in his slumber. She was glad that he was able to keep his holoform on during recharge.

She gently slipped the glasses from his face; he had activated them again for some reason, as the medic quietly slumbered on, unaware of her actions due to his exhaustion. She, for one, thought the glasses were cute.

She felt guilty for leaving him again so soon after she escaped the Decepticon base…but maybe Ratchet would be better off with another Autobot as a lover. She had heard that he bonded with another femme their bond would be broken.

Nexia sighed softly, slipping from the medic's arms and placing a soft pillow in her place. She jumped from the berth, careful of her still painful wounds, and into the hall.

The winged girl stole one last look at the sleeping mech before taking off for the entrance of the base, mindful of the sleeping Autobots. She was smart enough to take the katana for protection, however, she kept communications headset off. The winged girl settled herself upon a rock outside the base as it was warm enough for her not to change from her nightly wear.

"What are you doing up, little one? You should be resting." Optimus' great voice reverberated through the clearing outside the base. The winged girl jumped in surprise, obviously deep in thought for the great mech to have snuck up on her so easily. She turned looking up at her father figure's bulking frame. He was one of the dearest mechs to her.

"Oh, Optimus. You startled me." she said, smiling softly as the battle hardened mech lowered himself upon the Earth. He brought a hand down next to the smaller figure, optics twinkling as she climbed onto the offered appendage. It was like old times; when their minds weren't clouded with the impending attack.

"I apologize, little one, but I am curious. What are you doing out here so early? I would have thought that you would be spending time with Ratchet." the mech leader asked, looking down upon the winged girl. She sighed, debating if she should have her talk with the battle hardened mech. Finally, Optimus' gentle and patient stare wore down at Nexia's resolve. She couldn't help but tell him.

"Optimus? Why do you protect me? Am I worth the Autobots' protection? I…don't think I am." she asked, clinging onto the large mech's thumb. Optimus was shocked speechless before his optics narrowed. She meant a great deal to the Autobots.

"Did the Decepticons say that you were worthless?" the great leader growled in anger, venom lacing his voice. He was usually no one to anger so quickly but the Autobots had suffered enough by the hands of those evil creeps. The winged girl had no need to suffer as well. Optimus' anger melted slightly when the winged girl shook her head. She didn't want to tell the culprit but Optimus' silent stare prompted her to do so.

"No. It was Moonracer. I heard her ask Ratchet why he protected me when the Deceptcons would kill me eventually…and I must have blacked out before he answered. It makes me doubt my worth…" she said sadly.

The winged girl lowered her eyes and curling into a ball once again within the large mech's palm. The Autobot leader's optics softened at the sight of the girl in his palm, spark nearly breaking at the sight of helplessness upon her face. It didn't suit her.

"Nexia." Optimus' gentle voice broke through the winged girl's train of thought. She turned to look at the significantly larger being's soft optics as he spoke to her.

"We, as Autobots, have vowed to protect all life, be it organic or inorganic. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. We, as individuals however, have vowed to protect you as we love you. I, personally, think of you as a daughter and you are a part of our family." he said, gently rubbing her bandaged wings with a finger from his other hand. She looked like a small child clinging to their parent as she looked up at him, watery eyes filled with hope. She wondered if he was telling her the truth.

"Go talk to Ratchet and he will give you his reasoning for your protection. Trust me…it is something you might like to hear." the Autobot leader encouraged, smiling down at his young charge. She smiled up at him, somewhat assured by the great mech's answer.

"Thanks, Optimus, but I still need some time to think. If Ratchet asks…tell him not to worry and that I'm visiting Sarah." she said, sending him a hidden message: she would be at the lake and she would go to Sarah's afterwards…if it wasn't dark yet.

Optimus nodded in understanding as he lowered her back down to the ground. Nexia summoned FlameSpark as her wings were all bandaged. With the amount of bandages she wouldn't be able to fly for the time being. The winged girl mounted him, patting the Black Flamed Unicorn's neck as he snorted in happiness. With one last glance back at the Autobot base she was off, galloping in the direction of Tranquility Lake.

Once the sun had fully risen Optimus rose, turning back to go back into the base. He intended to alert Ratchet of what Nexia had overheard. There was a storm brewing in the Autobot headquarters and Optimus dreaded what would happen when the medic finally exploded. Nobody would want to face the wrath of Ratchet the Hatchet.

The Autobot leader was halfway to the Medical Bay when he coincidentally encountered the medic he was searching for. The medic looked exhausted, but the taller mech couldn't blame Ratchet, as he made his way down the hall. He stopped in front of Optimus as his optics flickered, showing how he was devoid of energy.

Ratchet's optics made a sweep of the hallway, obviously searching for the winged girl. His lip components were pursed together; another sign of his anxiousness. When he found no trace of Nexia he moved on, however, the large blue and red hand of the Autobot leader prevented him from going far. Instead Optimus directed he weary medic towards the leader's office, letting him sit in the oversized chair opposite the desk.

"Ratchet." the big mech said, catching the medic's attention. The Autobot medic's optics flashed a little brighter in acknowledgement as his chin lifted up, indicating that he was listening.

"Nexia is spending the day with Sara, however, she has her communicator and will contact us if she needs us." the Autobot leader explained much to the relief of the mech he was talking to. Ratchet thanked his leader for the information and went to rise but Optimus held him down with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"That was only one of the things that I wished to speak with you about, my friend." he said, stalling a bit. He didn't wish to tell the Autobot medic, lest he do something rash, but he knew that Ratchet deserved to know. Ratchet looked at Optimus with a questioning look in his gaze as he waited for his leader to continue.

"Were you aware that Nexia overheard the first part of your conversation with Moonracer last night? She lost consciousness before you could give your response to Moonracer's comment." Optimus questioned the medic. Ratchet's optics widened before they narrowed in deep thought. He wasn't aware that the winged girl could hear them.

"Come to think of it Nexia was acting somewhat distant last night…" the mech in question said, stroking his chin with two of his fingers. Now, Optimus was not one for conflict between his own troops but he believed that Moonracer had pushed the situation too far. Ratchet froze, finally realizing what his leader was hinting at.

"She's questioning her worth?! How **could** she? She's everything to me!" Ratchet sputtered, surprised and horrified at the same time. Optimus nodded his head and continued to push the medic in the right direction. The medic was tired and the Autobot leader didn't know if he could properly guess the one responsible with his level of fatigue.

"I believe that Moonracer was the one to speak to her last before you two had your private moment. Maybe you should question her." the leader said, hinting that Moonracer had something to do with it. He may not have known directly but he was an observant mech, one who took in the details of small things.

Ratchet's optics suddenly brightened, changing from the soft blue glow to bright white flaming pieces of glass. The medic was beyond pissed - he was murderous. He thanked the Autobot leader and jumped from his chair, striding from the room with the intent to find his once beloved friend. There was going to be hell to pay.

* * *

The winged girl sighed happily as she felt the wind fly through her tousled hair once again. She smiled widely as she rode upon the back of the Black Flamed Unicorn. Even though FlameSpark could have very well broken the speed of sound he restrained himself, wanting to look out for his mistress's injuries.

Nexia gasped softly as the behemoth horned figure jostled her wounds. He nickered in apology as they came upon the choppy water of the lake. She was cautious, however, as the last time she was at the lake she was captured by the Decepticons. By all means she should have stayed away from the place but she was drawn to it like fireflies were drawn to light. The two beings approached the water as the clouds lazily rolled through the sky.

"It feels nice here; it makes me feel so calmed." she whispered. She dismounted from the Black Flamed Unicorn, who almost instantly dropped to his knees and made himself comfortable. She leaned against his ebony flank and sighed as the exhaustion from past events finally caught up with her. Her eyes fought to stay open but the deep, protective voice of FlameSpark echoed throughout her skull. His voice also made her feel protected.

"**Rest, little one. Primus knows you need it**." the deep voice chuckled. She started to protest but FlameSpark would hear none of it. She finally gave in, knowing that it was a loosing battle, and closed her eyes. The lazy breeze and FlameSpark's warm body heat helped to lull the winged girl into a comfortable sleep. There she dreamt of her grandfather, which she hadn't done in several years.

* * *

_The winged girl looked around the silver and black metallic landscape. She was confused - wasn't Earth full of vibrant and wonderful colors? Wasn't Earth filled with outstanding animals and lively plants?_

_Nexia continued to walk; the world becoming clearer and more familiar with every step. Finally, she stumbled upon a very familiar place - an old and dark metallic warehouse. This was the first place her grandfather had taken her in order to teach her how to fly. She flapped her wings, surprised that there was no pain and that there was a suspicious lack of bandages. She sighed, happily laughing and twirling like a little girl once again._

_Nexia opened the large double doors and was confronted with a figure that made her want to burst into tears._

"_My dear, you've grown so much. You are now a beautiful woman." an elderly but still melodious voice danced through the air. Suddenly, the world became a burst of color and Nexia became a Phoenix nestling once again. It was like she was a child but with her current mind suck in the tiny body as she raced forward._

"_Grandpa!! You're alive!" her high pitched voice exclaimed as she rocketed forward, embracing one of her most cherished loved ones. She pulled back and looked at him - an image of the man when he was still young and healthy. His hair was vibrantly colored with Nexia's streaks; the only indicator to his true age was the fact that the color in his wings had started to fade._

"_No, my dear. I am not alive…but it is wonderful to see you too, young one. We have much to discuss." the elderly Phoenix said, motioning towards the familiar pile of crates and boxes that lined the walls. Nexia nodded, wanting to tell him of her adventure with the Autobots thus far. The elderly Phoenix listened to the young girl, nodding and placing an arm around the much younger figure's shoulders._

"_My dearest one. This __**Ratchet**__ that you speak of seems to love you more than life itself. If you feel that you would give your life for his than it is only natural that he would feel the same for you." he said, gently stroking the girl's hair. She sighed, still somewhat unconvinced by her grandfather's words. The elderly Phoenix continued on, however, determined to make the younger winged figure to see reason._

"_Think about all the kind actions that he has shown towards you. He is an Autobot and has sworn to protect you as your lover, not just as an Autobot. He has protected your spark, has he not?" the wise one said, knowing what her next question would be. It was predictable. She was always picked on as a child so she would sometimes question the worth of her life._

"_Yes, but am I worth it? Am I worth him risking his life for me?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes._

"_If you weren't worth it, my dear, would he have saved you in the first place? Danger is always lurking but it takes the ones who are truly brave to face it." he said softly, stroking the top of her head lovingly. She thought about it for a moment before smiling fondly at the thought of her sparkmate._

_They reminisced for a little more before the elderly Phoenix's face grew grim. Nexia looked at him in surprise as she rarely had seen that particular look on his face before._

"_Beware, little one. There is a spy in your midst. It is unclear who it is but be careful. I don't want anymore harm to befall you." he said, smiling sadly before fading away._

"_Remember: I will always love you." his voice whispered as the winged girl felt something wet on her forehead._

* * *

Suddenly, the winged girl was thrown back into the real world. FlameSpark neighed as the torrent of rain splattered down around them. He nickered in pain as the water started to sizzleout the fire on his back. If the fire on his back and tail went out then he would, unfortunately, die.

Nexia reacted quickly, dismissing the Black Flamed Unicorn and muttering a string of apologies into the air. The winged girl didn't mind; if she hadn't dismissed him he could have very well succumbed to death. She sighed, for the thousandth time that day, cursing the weather as she started the long trek to the Lennox household on foot.

* * *

The angry medic quickly ingested some energon to help him on his rampage; he probably would need it. His optics were hardened, still glowing the eerie white that was never normal in a calm, collected Autobot.

Ratchet growled, clenching his fist when he finally found the glossy blue-green femme. She was lounging in the recreational area and he was glad that all the other mechs were in recharge. He stalked up behind Moonracer and clamped a hand onto her shoulder, effectively scaring the femme. She screamed, whirling around as she placed a hand over her spark.

"Oh! Ratchet! You startled me." she said, fluttering the shutters on her optics. She was determined to get Ratchet to bond with her now that Nexia was out of the base. If he bonded with another femme then the first bond would be broken and the first femme would be killed. She smiled coyly, trying to flirt with the medic, but Ratchet saw through her guise. He caught the wrist that was inching towards his face, twisting it. It was not painful but it was enough to tell her to cease.

"How dare you imply that she is worthless! Nexia means more to me than you ever will!" the enraged medic hissed at the femme. Her optics widened slightly but she decided to play it off like it was nothing. She was determined to make the medic hers.

"I thought we had this conversation last night. I was just wondering…I mean she WILL die eventually. What's the point on protecting her?" she said nonchalantly. Moonracer shrugged her shoulders, picking some imaginary dust from her shoulder armor. Suddenly the glossy blue-green femme was shoved into the wall with Ratchet's face shoved into hers.

"You shouldn't have even uttered those words. They could cause your offlining. Nexia heard our conversation. She heard YOU!" Ratchet yelled at the femme, causing her to flinch. The Hatchet's temper was rising and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Why do you even care about her anyway? She's just a stupid little organic…" Moonracer started to say, but she was cut off when Ratchet slammed his other fist into the wall next to her head. His knuckles grazed her cheek, slicing open the sensitive plating. She squeaked, trembling in slight fear. She knew she shouldn't egg the medic off when he was this angry but she couldn't help herself.

"**Don't you dare**! We are sparkmates and when you insult her you also insult me. I don't think you want to make me angry." he hissed into her face, white optics blazing. Suddenly her optics bled from blue to red as she snapped, grasping the hand holding her shoulder and digging her finger's into Ratchet's armor. She was weaker than the Autobot medic, however, and didn't do much damage.

"Why her!? Why that little flesh bag?! I've known you longer! I've loved you longer! So why?!" she screamed hysterically, shaking as her optics bled back into blue. Ratchet stepped away from her, optics also bleeding back into blue as well. His anger was quelled when he realized that the glossy blue-green femme was jealous.

"Can't you understand that I love her? If you can't be happy for me then you are no longer a part of my life." the medic whispered harshly, turning and leaving the sobbing femme in the recreational room. He, however, didn't hear her suddenly stop and didn't see her optics suddenly snap back to red.

"Stupid, moronic old fool. I'll find a way to kill your little lover. Then you'll come crawling to me, begging to be mine." she cackled, smirking to herself. She stood, exiting the room to meander towards her own in order to give Lord Starscream her report.


	24. Nexia's Illness

**Hey, guys! Consider this chapter revised. I'm almost done with the revisions!**

**Thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Yeah, but Ratchet is too much of a gentleman for that. Yes, you are my muse for this story!! You should be proud because you're one of the reasons I'm popping out so many chapters so quickly!**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Nexia's Mysterious Illness**

* * *

Nexia awoke disoriented and confused, wings and stomach twanging in pain. She wanted to sleep on her stomach but her the deep lacerations made it difficult for her to sleep. She looked around and realized that she was back at the Lennox household; it had been a while since she had slept there.

Her memories came back in a rush: the conversation with Moonracer, her conversation with Optimus, and more importantly - her dream with her grandfather. Because of that conversation she now knew that her sparkmate cared deeply for her.

The winged girl stood and stretched, somewhat confused to why her wounds were still present. Usually they heal themselves after a day or two of the healing sleep; the wounds on her stomach were an exception due to their intensity. She quickly changed into a pair of blue cotton shorts and a dark green halter top - one that would actually match Hound's paint.

"I guess I should go talk to Ratchet…" Nexia said softly to herself as she descended the stairs. She was greeted with the happy face of Sarah as she entered the kitchen. Sarah embraced the winged girl in a tight hug, causing the girl to wince. It was worth it, though. She like seeing Sarah's happy face. The winged girl wiped her face as the older woman pulled back and placed a hand on Nexia's forehead.

"Dear, you feel a little warm…let me check to see if you're running a fever." Sarah said, frowning as the winged girl pulled away, smiling. It was true; Nexia's core temperature was several degrees above normal and a light sweat was forming upon her face. She would not be deterred, however, and decided to say that she was alright. She needed to talk to Ratchet and she needed to talk to him soon.

"Sarah, I'm a Phoenix. We're supposed to be naturally hot. Its kid of a no-brainer." she said with a chuckle. Sarah frowned, pushing a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. The older woman studied the winged before finally nodding and letting her pass.

"Be careful. Ratchet would be spark-broken if we let anything happen to you." Sarah said as she watched the girl summon FlameSpark. Nexia smiled back and waved as the Black Flamed Unicorn trotted off towards the Autobot base. When they were out of range of the overprotective female Nexia doubled over, coughing up a storm. Her temperature increased another two degrees, greatly worrying the horned figure underneath her.

"**Lady** **Nexia? Are you well enough to travel in your condition?**" the Black Flamed Unicorn asked, slowing down as the girl swayed. She placed a hand to her head as she nodded slowly, trying to steady herself upon his great back. She **needed **to talk to Ratchet.

"Yes, just get us there quickly. It's probably just a cold from the rain. I'm sure it's not that bad." she smiled, waving a hand dismissively. FlameSpark nickered in consent and cantered off towards the base. He was worried, however, as she was swaying upon his back once again.

* * *

The red optics of the glossy blue-green femme twinkled in the daylight. She smirked as she sat upon the berth in her small quarters, deciding to finally call in her report. Now was as a good time as any to contact her Decepticon lord. He was an impatient one; he was also the one who gave her the scar upon her chest.

_**Moonracer to Lord Starscream.**_ she said, sending the message through her endoded long ranged communication system. At first she only heard static but soon she heard the voice of a mech of whom she both despised and admired.

_**Speak, femme.**_ _**You are trying my patience**_. his voice sneered at her through the link. He was growling, alerting the glossy blue-green femme that her commanding officer was in an impatient mood.

_**The winged girl is weak. Rumble's serum successfully lowered her immune system. She was away last night in the rain which means that she may be ill as well.**_ Moonracer said, lounging back upon the berth. She heard scoffing on the other end of the communications link causing her to frown. He didn't trust her…but she didn't blame him.

_**Do the Autobots still trust you, you worthless piece of scrap metal?**_ the screeching voice of Starscream sounded in her head. She nodded but then realized that Starscream couldn't hear the nod. She would have left him hanging but he would probably find her and beat her for being impudent.

_**I put on quite a convincing act, if I may say.**_ she said, smirking to herself. All but Optimus, Ratchet, and Nexia trusted her…but she could easily remedy the situation.

_**Don't get so full of yourself, femme. You need to steal the winged femme's spark. By now she should be dead and the pathetic excuse for a medic would be fawning over her.**_ the gray an silver jet screeched. Moonracer frowned at the mech's choice of words regarding the medic, but she knew that there was nothing she could currently do about it. He was, after all, being pathetic.

_**Don't worry about it. I'll get your precious spark.**_ Moonracer said, sighing softly. It was times like these that she hated working for that Slaghole Starscream.

_**You better, femme, or else I'll turn you into a pile of scrap metal.**_ he said, severing the communications link. He was not joking. Starscream never jokes about things he wants.

Moonracer stood, exiting the room and running, almost literally, into the warrior twins. She stumbled back, a bit surprised, before suddenly realizing that her optics were still vermillion. She hastily changed them back to blue before turning to smile at the twins. She held the smile, giving them a small wave as she turned to walk elsewhere.

As she walked away Sunsreaker turned to his brother, scratching the top of his helm. He was really confused and he didn't like being confused.

"Was it just me, bro, or did she just have Decepticon optics? They were red when I saw them…then they switched to blue." he questioned, watching the femme as she rounded the corner.

"I dunno but we better tell the boss-bot. This is important." Sideswipe said, motioning wildly with his clawed hands. Sunstreaker nodded and they scuttled off to find Optimus.

* * *

The winged girl clung to the Black Flamed Unicorn best she could in her weakened state. Her health seemed to be declining in a matter of hours, something that indicated that no good would come of this ordeal.

"Why is it that EVERY time I'm going to see Ratchet I'm either inured or fatally ill?" she muttered to himself, drawing a chuckle from the large horned figure. It was no laughing matter but the way she said that comment was comical.

"What? It's true!" she exclaimed, breaking into a fit of coughs. This time, though, she could feel the coppery taste of blood well up in her throat and stain her mouth. She spat the blood into her hand, staring at it with a mixture of shock and confusion.

"B-blood? Why? It's only a normal cold…unless…whatever that mech injected me with is doing this." she trailed off as a dizzy spell hit her. She gripped her forehead, trying to stop the world from spinning as she dismounted FlameSpark. Instead of dismissing him, however, she used him as a crutch as they entered the base. She was greeted by the familiar form of Hound, who gave her a thumbs up due to the color of her shirt.

"You feelin' alrigh', darlin'?" he asked her, bending down to her level so she wouldn't have to crane her neck. She smiled reassuringly at the large mech but the blood on her lips caught his attention. His metallic eyebrows rose in alarm but the winged girl cut off whatever it was he was going to say.

"Don't worry. I'm off to see Ratchet as we speak." she said, nodding her head in the direction of the Medical Bay. The forest green scout said nothing as she and FlameSpark made their way down the hall and into the room on the right. She sent a thought through their bond to the medic, stifling a giggle as she heard a small crash in the storage room. She leaned heavily on the Black Flamed Unicorns shoulder, panting as if that simple action had drained her of her energy.

"Nex!" Ratchet exclaimed once he caught sight of her weakened state. He scooped both girl and horned beast into his hands, setting them down upon the human reserved medical table. The blood on her lips worried him greatly as he performed several scans.

"I'm back, Ratch. I love you." she smiled, showing the medic her blood-stained lips up close. He transformed and activated his holoform, placing a hand on her forehead. The medic frowned, running another a full-body scan on the winged girl as she settled back against the body of FlameSpark. The Medic had set him on the table as well.

"I love you, too. I'm so sorry." he breathed as he knelt down, cradling her against his chest while the scan was running. When it had been completed he stopped stroking her hair to review it. He frowned again, aware of the winged girl's increasing heart rate. Her heart was beating too fast. Her immune system was running haywire; the simple cold she should have had was turning deadly.

The mech left for a few minutes to fetch a cold rag and some antibiotics to help boost her immune system. He returned shortly, placing the cold rag upon her forehead and carefully injecting the antibiotics into her bloodstream. She smiled, going to say something but instantly broke into a coughing fit. Blood stained her lips again but the winged girl only wiped it away.

"Oh no…" the medic gasped while the Black Flamed Unicorn nickered in concern. She continued to cough as the world started to spin around her once again. Suddenly, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she slumped back, cracking hear head against the table. He scanned her again, sighing in relief when he found that she merely had a cold. It was a bad one but it wasn't anything that he, as a medic, couldn't cure with time.

Ratchet smiled softly and sent a spiritual caress through their bond, smile widening as he saw and heard her sigh softly. He sat beside her, as holoforms can't contract human viruses, determined to make her feel better now that she saw that she was worth something to the medic. She was the world in his eyes.

* * *

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe went racing past the Medical Bay, quiet when they passed the actual door, and dashed around the corner to Opimus' office. They crashed into the metallic door due to the force and speed of their journey, creating a loud bang that echoed in the hallway. The door shot open, revealing a frazzled Prowl and an amused Optimus.

"What are you two doing?" Optimus asked, trying to hide his laughter, and raising an optic ridge. The two twins looked at each other before Sunstreaker burst out the information in their native tongue. He was too excited and worried to respond in the native human tongue.

"Moonracer is **evil**!" he exclaimed, waving his hands around to further explain his point. This time Prowl had also raised an optic ridge at the older twin's actions.

"Now, we all know that she's a femme but she's hardly evil. Do you have any proof?" Prowl commented, walking back inside the Autobot leader's office. Optimus beckoned the two inside lest they wake anyone who was in recharge. The two hastily followed him, determined to make the other older bots believe them. Moonracer was evil; they were telling the truth…for once.

"Optimus, it's true! Let us tell you what happened!" Sideswipe pleaded, placing his hands on the great mech's desk. They stared into each other's optics until Optimus conceded, realizing that this was not one of their mean tricks or pranks. The mech leader nodded his head in their direction, indicating that they should begin their story.

"Ok, Sides and I were walking normally down the hall this morning after getting our morning cup of energon." Sunstreaker had started, trying to keep his voice light in such a serious situation. It wasn't working as everyone in the room was tense.

"We were about to enter our quarters, which is across from Moonracer's, and we turned to greet her when her door slid open." Sideswipe continued for his twin. He was the gentler of the two assassins but kept his gaze steady as he talked.

"She bumped into me and when we locked optics her optics were red!! She had the optics of a Decepticon! She's **EVIL**" the yellow warrior finished for his brother, spreading his arms to make his point.

"Maybe it was a trick of the light." Prowl said, trying to come up with several possibilities for what the duo had seen. The strategist was still somewhat skeptical at the far fetched story; all the pranks were not piling up in the twins' favor.

Optimus, however, was starting to believe the twins. He thought back to the cruel sneer on her face when she confronted his CMO the night Nexia escaped from the clutches of the Decepticons. He also thought about what the winged girl revealed to him in their conversation yesterday. Optimus Prime was a leader who paid close attention to the small details.

"I believe you." the blue and red flamed mech said, catching the attention of the two arguing parties. He was completely serious; his will was iron.

"You do?"

"What do we do then?" both parties asked at the same time. Optimus nodded his head in response to Prowl's question before turning his attention back to the mischievous warriors. They would come in handy during his plan.

"There is nothing we can actually do until we have more proof. For now we must watch and wait." he large mech sighed, drawing disappointed looks from the duo perched in front of him. They were disappointed but tried not to let the disappointment show on their facial plates.

"Aye captain, oh captain, my captain!" Sunstreaker announced before turning and running from the room. The two older mechs turned to Sideswipe for an explanation but all the red warrior could offer was a shrug before he, too, exited the room after the yellow warrior.

* * *

The cold-sparked medic was showing one of his softer moments; Nexia's head was in his lap while he was stroking her hair. He pushed her bangs away from her face as she groaned, fluttering her eyes open. Ratchet smiled tenderly at the girl in his lap as she reached up to caress his face. His hand softly held hers as the female's hand was trembling.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice was a bit hoarse from the disuse. He took the hand that was skimming over the skin of his cheek, softly kissing it as he smiled down at her. FlameSpark nickered as a reminder that he was behind her. She smiled softly at the two but had to turn her head to cough, not wanting to accidentally spit or cough blood on the holoform's pale skin. He didn't mind; he patiently waited until she finished her coughing fit before answering her question.

"You fainted. I'm not surprised, love. Your body was put under so much stress from the past few days." the medic said, kissing the sick girl's burning forehead. He sat back against the Black Flamed Unicorn, cradling Nexia in his arms, before suddenly sitting up with an idea. He smiled secretively before glancing at the girl in his arms.

"Hey, Nex?" he asked, bending over the ill girl. She opened up one bleary eye, prompting the medic to continue.

"Will your spark help you heal?" he asked, bringing the small intricately shaped necklace from his subspace pocket. She shrugged, not really sure if the outcome would help her because she was not truly injured - just sick.

The effect was almost immediate when he slipped the chain around her neck. Color returned to the winged girl's cheeks and her head cleared. In return the crack disappeared from the glossy surface and a glow presented itself inside the globe. The glow, however, was still incredibly dim; the winged girl was still weak.

"It worked!" Nexia said, happy for the relief. Despite the reprieve from the pain her body was still far from completely healed and it needed more time to recuperate. She sighed, still very tired because of the sudden illness.

The medic leaned over, cooing softly into her ear, and urging her to get more sleep. She finally drifted off with a small smile on her face as the medic behind her settled into a comfortable position behind her. FlameSpark closed his eyes, settling into a deep rest as well, letting the medic lean his head on his shimmering black flank. Soon enough all three of them were fast asleep, unaware of the glowering red optics of the Decepticon femme hiding in the shadows.

"Now it is time…and you shall be mine, you foolish medic. Your little lover will be long dead and I'll have my 'happy ending'." she hissed, slinking back into the darkness to make sure that all of them wouldn't awaken.


	25. The Stolen Spark

**This chapter has been revised.**

**Thanks to:**

**Chapter 24**

**The Stolen Spark**

* * *

Moonracer slunk back into the shadows, waiting patiently until she was sure that all three figures were sleeping. Once she was completely sure she crept forward, as quiet as a mouse, turning on her rarely used humanoid holoform. The Decepticon-traitor-turned-woman smirked, looking down at herself to make sure that the holoform was working correctly.

Her hair was a beautiful sapphire color, which was unusual since her armor was a light blue-green, and her optic's eyes were a bright blue. She had overridden the system which depicted what color the holoform's eyes, making them blue instead of red for camouflaging purposes. She had to be quick; the holoform wouldn't last for long. She wasn't as adept at using one…but she needed to do this to complete her goal.

She was donned in a glittering black halter top and dark green cargo pants complete with black boots and blue fingerless gloves. The gloves matched her hair and were decorated with an Autobot symbol. What everyone else didn't know was that the Autobot symbol could be torn off, revealing the Decepticon symbol. A black piece of leather tied her hair back from her face and a small silver necklace dipped between her breasts, which were rather supple.

"Soon, little femme, you shall die." she said, smirking as she appeared upon the table next to the sleeping trio. She was about to reach for the winged femme's necklace but froze as the Autobot medic stirred. He opened one of his bleary eyes, blinking in confusion. Moonracer froze, instantly checking to see if her eyes were actually blue before she turned back to face him.

When Ratchet's eyes landed on hers they hardened, telling the femme that she was not welcome. He had not forgotten what she did and said to his lover. The glossy blue-green femme put her hands up in a motion of surrender, motioning him forward while trying not to awaken the sleeping girl.

Ratchet gently detangled himself from his sparkmate, optics softening when she let out an almost inaudible groan. He set her down against the warm body of FlameSpark, striding furiously down to where the 'Autobot' femme was waiting. He had not forgiven her.

"What are you doing here, femme? In **my** Med Bay no less?" Ratchet growled, glaring at the offending woman-like figure standing before him. Moonracer's acting skills came into play as she pretended to shrink back away from the medic. Actually, not all of it was acting. Ratchet was one scary mech when he wanted to be.

"I wanted to apologize for my earlier actions. I was jealous of her…but now I realize that you love each other. Let me take care of Nexia while you go get some energon?" she suggested, wringing her hands together. The medic crossed his arms, contemplating on what to do. The need for some energon finally won over as he sighed, letting his hands drop to his sides.

"Fine. If one hair or feather is out of place when I return I will kill you myself. And that is a **promise**." the medic threatened before dismissing his holoform and transforming. When he was out of range the femme scoffed.

"Oh, as if. I doubt your archaic aft could even touch me." she said, turning back to the girl with a smirk painted across her face. She sidled up to her, laughing demonically as Nexia unknowingly slept beneath her.

* * *

Sunstreaker was pacing back and forth in the room that he shared with Sideswipe, trying to think of a way to expose Moonracer for who she really was. She was evil with a capital 'E'. He just hoped that the glossy blue-green femme wasn't going to harm Nexia.

"Dude, Sunny! Calm down! You're wearing a hole in the floor…and making me dizzy!" the red warrior said, rolling over on his sleeping berth, trying to block out the sound of his twin's footsteps. Sunstreaker was driving his twin crazy.

"I can't, Sides. What if that fragger hurts Nex while she's sick?!" Sunstreaker asked, turning to pace around the room again. The red warrior sighed, turning over on his berth, yet again, to try to block his twin's rambling.

"If you're so worried about her then go check on her! I'm sure she hasn't moved in the past…what? Two hours?" Sideswipe commented, yawning. The yellow assassin nodded to himself, finally making up his mind he exited his shared quarters and sauntered towards the Medical Bay. When he got there, however, he was met with an alarming sight.

Nexia was curled, asleep, on one of the human sized berths, FlameSpark by her side. There was a strange female humanoid hovering over her sleeping form; upon further examination Sunstreaker realized that it was Moonracer's holoform. Her hand was poised on the winged girl's neck and the other was working on the clasp on Nexia's spark. Ooh, she was going down!

"Stupid necklace. If only your chain would break or something." Moonracer hissed, finally settling on jerking the necklace off the winged girl's neck. She was lucky; the wear on the chain finally caused it to break. Nexia barely flinched as the antibiotics Ratchet had given her induced her into a deep state of sleep. It was as such so the antibiotics could boost her immune system.

"Stupid femme." Sunstreaker mocked, causing the femme's holoform to whirl around. His optics brightened in his anger; he wanted to tear the Decepticon femme apart for attempting to steal Nexia's spark. She smirked, subspacing the winged girl's necklace, and took a step towards the skilled assassin. She was practically asking for her death. She thought she could talk with the assassin…but she didn't know that he could literally dismember her piece by piece.

"Want some of **THIS**, hun?" she asked him, motioning towards her body. Sunstreaker scoffed, gagging and bringing his battle mask down in response. Her grin disappeared, her optics flickering back to the rusty red as her holoform dissipated. It was time to battle.

Suddenly, she attacked the yellow assassin, rushing forward to kick one of her legs to his chest plate. He dodged, changing his arm into an energon dagger. The yellow warrior couldn't afford to shoot his blaster because of two things: Nexia and the explosive chemicals in the storage room. The storage room was right next to the Medical Bay. He dodged a blow to the helm as he slashed at her leg.

"What's the matter, Mooney? Too slow? Or too stupid?" Sunny teased when he nicked her leg. He was hoping that his little taunt had enraged the femme. The advantage of angering your opponent is that it causes them to loose their focus. The enemy becomes sloppy and they tire themselves out more quickly. She looked like a vain femme; he hoped that she would hook on his taunts.

Luck was on Sunstreaker's side as her attacks became sloppier, causing more and more nicks to appear on her armor as the sun-kissed warrior landed blow after blow. Although her attacks became sloppy, however, the attacks became more furious, denting his armor with little blows. Hopefully he could knock her out and regain Nexia's spark or all hope was lost for the little Phoenix.

* * *

The tired medic walked slowly to the Recreational Room of the Autobot base. He knew that he should consume at least three cups of energon in order for his energy reserves to raise themselves back to optimum efficiency. He also knew that he should hurry but he couldn't bring himself to move any faster. He was sore and tired.

Once he reached the room he pulled himself past a recharging Jazz, who was passed out on the large couch for some reason, and made his way to the energon dispenser. He grabbed a large cube, filling it to the brim with energon. He quickly downed the first cube, taking time to digest the soothing liquid before turning to fill the cube again. Hopefully he would be able to get back to the winged girl quickly. He had an uneasy feeling in his gut.

Ratchet turned towards the door when he heard it slide open, standing a little taller when he realized that it was the Autobot leader. He always showed respect towards Optimus…even though the Autobot leader was younger than he.

"Ratchet. I have something to tell you that concerns Moonracer and Nexia. It is of the utmost importance." the reverberating voice of the large mech echoed throughout the room. The medic nodded, already dreading what his leader had to tell him. All of the other information that came from Optimus regarding Moonracer had enraged him so he hoped that this time would be different. He couldn't, however, shake the bad feeling that was growing.

"Yes, Optimus? What is it this time?" he asked, wearily eyeing his Commanding Officer. Optimus knew that Ratchet was tired so he didn't berate the medic for his snapping.

"We have reason to believe that Moonracer may be a Decepticon in disguise." the great blue and red mech said, getting strait to the point. Ratchet paused halfway through his second cube of energon, spitting out what he had in his mouth. He was shocked!

"W-why would you say that?" the medic stammered, shifting his optics nervously. He had, after all, left Moonracer to watch over an unconscious Nexia. The bad feeling was growing.

"Well…coupled with the fact that she absolutely despised the idea of you falling in love with Nexia, the twins claim that she has the optics of a Decepticon. Her optics were red." Optimus calmly explained. Ratchet looked at the ground, biting his metallic lip, before a thought struck him. Didn't she have red optics when she was yelling angrily at him? It was true!

Ratchet gasped, dropping his cube of half-filled energon. Moonracer was a Decepticon. He left Nexia in Moonracer's care. Nexia was in danger!! He was such a glitch.

Suddenly, a large crash was heard from the direction of the Medical Bay. Ratchet and Optimus froze, the energon freezing within their robotic veins. They scrambled from the Recreational Room and dashed to the Medical Bay, drawing their weapons as they went. On the inside, the Autobot Medic was quaking; if anything happened to the winged girl he would never forgive himself.

Ratchet wrenched the doors open, effectively distracting Sunstreaker from the battle at hand. The medic took the scene into his processor, gaping in horror. His Medical Bay was a wreck and Moonracer, and Sunstreaker, was in the middle of it.

The glossy blue-green femme took this time to exploit Sunstreaker's distracted state. She grabbed his arm and threw him into the wall next to Nexia's bed. The vibration from the impact from successfully woke the winged girl and the Black Flamed Unicorn from their slumber. Nexia jumped and looked around, clearly confused as she identified Moonracer hovering over Sunstreaker's fallen form. The femme smirked at his sparking frame, gloating over the fact that he was down.

"What are you doing?!" the winged girl demanded, stumbling to her knees. She wanted to help the fallen assassin but she was still too weak.

"**You** **heathen! Return My Lady's spark to her at once, Decepticon filth!**" FlameSpark roared, screaming in anger. The flames on his back faded from red to bright blue and white - the hottest type of fire known in the universe.

Nexia gasped and grabbed at her throat, just now noticing that her necklace was missing. At the sign of being momentarily distracted, Moonracer attacked the winged girl. She was almost upon Nexia but was pulled back by a large hand on her shoulder. She was yanked across the room by an angry Ratchet, hitting the wall and hissing in pain.

He was upon her this time, transforming his hand into a large energon saw. It revved to life, coming dangerously near the glossy blue-green femme's throat.

"What's going on?! Someone answer me!" Nexia exclaimed, tears coming to her eyes. She didn't understand what was going on and she was rapidly loosing her strength due to the loss of her spark. Without the spark all of her energy was directed to her immune system, causing her to teeter dangerously to the side. She fell back to her knees, sighing out as she fought to stay awake.

"Moon's evil, Nex. She stole your spark." Sunstreaker wheezed from beside the medical berth she was situated on. Nexia whipped her head around to stare at his angry optics, breathing out sadly once she realized that he wasn't joking.

"Then what are we going to do about getting my spark back?" she inquired nervously, jerking her head to the fallen femme. If it was one thing she learned about the Decepticons was that they were never to be underestimated. The glossy blue-green femme was no exception.

Suddenly Moonracer jumped to her feet, surprising Optimus as she crashed into his side. She knocked the medic's saw away from her throat as she did so. Normally she would have done little to no damage but due to the distraction it caused a great deal more. Before he could grab her leg she jumped high into the air and through the Medical Bay's doors.

"NO! My spark!! She has my spark!" Nexia screamed in a frenzy. She tried to stand from her kneeling position but only succeeded in collapsing onto her stomach. Sunstreaker and Ratchet activated their holoforms to assist her while Optimus raced after the Decepticon femme, hoping to catch her before she exited the base. He was bigger, with longer legs, but she was faster.

They raced towards the entrance; Moonracer was a few lengths ahead of the great mech but his great strides eventually caught up to her as she exited through the doors. She took Nexia's spark from her subspace pocket, throwing it high in the air as soon as Optimus tackled her to the ground. The Autobot leader went to reach up to catch it, while pinning the squirming blue-green femme to the ground, but the evil laughter of the Decepticon commander filtered through the air.

"Well done, femme. I won't have to terminate you. I shall leave that to the Autobots." Starscream cackled as he flew by, half transforming in order to snatch the spark in the air.

"No!" Optimus yelled in disdain, optics widening when he realized that Nexia was just sentenced to her doom. He glared down at the writhing femme underneath him, venom dripping from his gaze.

"You shall suffer for what you have done, Moonracer. Ratchet will see to that." he promised her, cuffing her arm, and dragging her into the base. If you had seen Ratchet angry in the past that would be nothing compared to how he would act now.

**TFSTARFIRE - I agree there! I would never trust Starscream. I, being my obnoxious self, would probably yell something at him and wind up being killed.**

**Stesuna the Dragon - ^_^ I know. Should I have Ratchet actually kill her? But then he'll go against the code of all healers...**

**electrogirl88 - Oh I know! She was awesome in the cartoon and I feel bad for making her evil but I like putting in twists.**

**DON'T FORGET TO GO TO MY PROFILE!! I finally put up some drawings for my fanfictions! They are all done by me and I inked most of them (on one of the Nexia ones I ran out of ink so it looks kind of weird.)**

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	26. A Way To Survive

**Hey guys! Only one more chapter and the epilogue and then my poll will be closed! Oh, and don't forget to look at the pictures I drew for my fanfiction! The links are at the bottom of my profile.**

**Thanks to:**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Ooh, I'll do that in the next chapter. Its gonna be full of angst but the epilogue will be happy!! Trust me!**

**TFSTARFIRE - Lol, thanks. Your anticipation makes me happy.**

**DemonGirly91 - Oh, I can have Ratchet torture her but then not have the guts to kill her because of his vow and then Sunny can step in and kill her. ^_^**

**electrogirl88 - Well...just read the chapters!! I can't give up that vital information!! 6_6**

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**Chapter 25**

**The Autobots' Plan**

* * *

It was a somber morning; everyone feared the worst as Nexia had withdrawn into herself. She would speak to nobody, only sitting with her head buried in her knees or lying with the Autobot medic, arms wrapped around his waist and her head buried in his holoform's chest. It was safe to say that she was depressed.

Ratchet blamed himself for Nexia's worsening condition and had been spending every waking moment with the distraught girl. She was always with the medic as they were cherishing the time that they had left with each other. Every so often the other members of the base would find him sitting in a corner of some random room, tears sliding down his cheeks and his head buried against his knees; much like his sparkmate.

Prowl and Optimus had been pacing for the past 48 hours, nervously awaiting Starscream's demands. The Autobot leader knew that he would have to make a serious choice…but deep down inside he already knew which choice he would make. When it all came down to it the Autobot leader would rather choose the winged girl.

Optimus was confident in his soldiers' skills and that they would be able to kill two birds with one stone; he was positive that Starscream would demand something of great value. Like it was said earlier - two birds with one stone: defending the item of value and gaining Nex's spark back.

Ratchet and Nexia were currently squirreled away in Ratchet's quarters, lying embraced within each other's arms. The winged girl's wings were folded softly around them, giving them the privacy that they so desperately craved.

Nexia slumbered quietly, still trying to fight off the last remnants of the cold she caught in the rain. Ratchet lay in front of her in holoform mode. His bright blue eyes were bloodshot, tears welling up in his eyes with every blink. He couldn't bear to live a life without his sparkmate and if he must offline himself to be with her - so be it.

The tears trickled down his blotched cheeks, his glasses fogging up because of the change in temperature. Eventually he just dismissed them like he did once before; he really didn't need them.

The medic smiled sadly as the winged girl in his arms stirred, opening her eyes to meet his azure ones. She blinked, smiled sadly to him as well. After 48 hours it seems that Nexia had calmed down; she was taking the situation better than the others - accepting the fact that she could drop dead at any given minute. She was sad that she was going to die but she couldn't do anything about it.

"I won't let you go. I'll find a way to stop Starscream. You'll live; I'll make sure of it. **I will not let you die.**" the medic vowed, kissing the winged girl's sweat covered brow. He was about to say more but Nexia pressed a finger to Ratchet's lips. The poor medic was in denial.

"T-there…" she croaked, voice cracking because of the disuse. She blushed and cleared her throat, attempting to speak again.

"There is a legend that dwelled within my people. If a Cybertronian Phoenix happened to be murdered then their mate and loved ones could revive them." she whispered into the medic's ears. He was stunned, face brightening and his eyes shining with hope. He looked down at his weak sparkmate, desperate for the answer.

"How?" he demanded eagerly, sitting up so that he was staring into the winged girl's eyes. She sighed, biting her lip as she tried to prevent herself from coughing. She was still sick after all.

"I can't remember…but ask Optimus. He might know since he was friends with my grandfather." she wheezed, lying back onto the pillow Ratchet gave her and closing her eyes. They fluttered closed as she succumbed to slumber, smiling softly when the medic placed a soft kiss between her eyes. He really did love her.

The Autobot medic slowly slid his arms away from the winged girl. He set her head back onto the pillow and took one last determined look at the winged girl before heading to the communications room in search for Optimus.

* * *

Optimus paced back and forth in the Communications Room, impatiently awaiting an uplink from Starscream. The Decepticon would contact him; the Autobot leader was confident because he possessed the shard of the Allspark. Starscream wanted the shard in order to take complete control of the universe. He wouldn't give it up. There was going to be a battle.

The Autobot leader turned when the door opened revealing Wheeljack and Ratchet. Ratchet had met up with the engineer in the hallway and they decided to talk to Optimus together. Although Wheeljack wanted to speak to the Autobot leader he decided that he should direct his findings to the both of them. He placed is hand in a comforting manner on the medic's shoulder, shaking his head sadly. He was there to deliver bad news.

"I searched feverishly but I failed to find anything that would let us revive a Cybertronian Phoenix if she should die. I **am** sorry." Wheeljack said, optics staring sadly at the ground. Ratchet shook his head, letting the engineer know that everything was forgiven, before turning back to face the Autobot leader.

"Optimus. Nexia said that you might know of the old legend of reviving the spark with the use of a mate. She said her grandfather might have told you about it while he was still among the living." Ratchet said, watching the large blue and red mech's every move. Optimus brought a large hand to his face trying to recall his various memories which included the elderly Phoenix. Finally, an old conversation struck his memory chips. He looked at the others deep in thought, hoping that it was the answer to their dilemma.

"I do remember an old Cybertronian Phoenix legend. I believe it said that if one of the Phoenixes was to die without honor or during battle then their spark mates could revive them." he said, turning towards the other two mechs. He continued; Ratchet and Wheeljack were hanging onto his every word.

"By taking a small part of his or own spark and mixing it with the energies of their friends and comrades then they can call the deceased one back from the grave." Optimus finished, a small spark of hope dancing across his optics. He didn't know if it would work but he was willing it to give it a try.

"But will it work since one of us is not a Phoenix?" Ratchet asked, hoping that the last chance that he would have at rescuing his beloved would work. Wheeljack turned to the agonized mech, pity written across his facial plates. He would try to come up with another solution for his friend's sake.

"Don't worry about that right now. Just hope for the best. I'm sure everything will turn out alright in the end." he said, patting the slightly larger mech's shoulder. Ratchet was about to reply but the base's home communications system blared to life. The three mechs dashed to the large computer, instantly recognizing the Decepticon symbol.

"Starscream…" Ratchet seethed, glaring at the incoming signal. Optimus accepted the incoming video message, tightening his fist when he caught a glimpse of the Decepticon's face. He was one of the more…grotesque Decepticons.

"Ah, Optimus. How nice to chat with you." they grey and silver jet hissed, throwing Nexia's spark into the air and catching it again. Once he realized that he had captured Optimus' attention Starscream ceased the tossing of the spark. Instead he held it in front of his face, smirking maliciously while doing so. The chain it was dangling from had been crudely repaired, letting him twirl the precious gem around his finger.

"Oh, yes. You really should keep a better eye on what goes on in your base. Then items such as this would still be in your possession. How careless of you." the Decepticon sneered, causing all three of the Autobots to clench their fists. Ratchet had to clench his teeth together lest he blurt out his true feelings.

"What is it that you want, Starscream? Speak now." Optimus ground out, causing the grey and silver jet to smirk. He was successful at grating the Autobot leader's nerves.

"What do you think I want? I want the Allspark shard!!" he exclaimed, clenching the fist with Nexia's spark in it. A spark of an idea flashed across Starscream's face as he clenched the fist tighter, laughing as the spark began to crack. A terrible heart-wrenching scream tore through the Autobot base as Ratchet snapped his head towards the door. His own spark was pulsing with a dull pain, only halfheartedly enlightening him to his sparkmate's true disposition.

"Nex!" he cried as he and Wheeljack rushed towards the Medical Bay. Another sinister cackle tore through the base as Starscream released the winged girl's spark. It was pulsing erratically, sending out small tendrils of energy as the color dulled.

"Stop!" Optimus bellowed, optics burning in rage. They sparkled dangerously as the blue and red mech glared at the Decepticon.

"How about no? Give me the Allspark shard or I will crush the girl's spark. We will meet in two hours, just outside the Tranquility Lake." Starscream sneered, squeezing the spark again for good measure. His face disappeared as he ended the communication, leaving Optimus cursing in the room as he banged his fist against the wall. The force of the blow left the wall dented but it left Optimus in low spirits as he contemplated what he would do.

* * *

Nexia screamed as a blinding pain shot through her chest, spreading across her entire body as the white-hot knives intensified. She writhed in agony as her wings twitched around her body, causing her to roll over onto her stomach. Her arms clawed at the air before her, struggling to find a grip on reality. Her strength was seeping away as was the color on her wings. They were fading from their original hues of red and orange to a dull grey color.

She could barely see when Ratchet and Wheeljack burst through the doors, nearly stopping in horror as they watched her convulse in pain. Her eyes were screwed shut in pain as she flipped over on her back, arching as another searing shot of pain stabbed at her chest. Her skin color was fading as well, sending her once porcelain skin to an ashy grey.

"Help me!" Ratchet demanded as he activated his holoform. He ran to the medical supplies in order to grab a syringe of sedative, hoping that it would calm Nexia's nerves. Wheeljack's holoform held down her flailing limbs as the medic injected the needle into her arm. The winged girl jerked violently once again as her eyes fluttered shut and her body finally relaxed as she slumped forward onto the human sized berth.

Wheeljack sighed and released his hands from her shoulders, openly admitting that what he had witnessed was most easily one of the most terrifying moments in his life. Ratchet sighed in relief and shot the engineer holoform a pointed look; one that said that he wanted to be alone with the pained winged girl.

"I understand." Was all that Wheeljack said, raising his hands in a surrendering manner. The medic smiled at him thankfully, carefully helping the winged girl sit up. The sedative was enough to stop her convulsions but was not strong enough to knock her unconscious. The medic cradled the winged girl in his arms, burying his face into her hair.

"Has Starscream made contact with Optimus?" she whispered, blinking her eyes tiredly. Ratchet stiffened, face tightening into a serious face. Mere mention of the Decepticon was enough to get the medic seething.

"He wants the Allspark shard in exchange for your spark." he ground out, obviously not happy about the situation he could tell that Nexia was upset, also, by the way she tensed up in his arms. She didn't want to be used as a piece of leverage.

"Don't give it to him. I can manage. I'm alright." she said forcefully, shaking her head in defiance. He glared at her, taking her face and cupping it in his hands. Her words died in her throat as she caught glimpse of the strong look he was sending her.

"**Don't ever say that again**. We are to be ready in two hours. Rest until then." he said, lying back and cradling her within his strong arms.

"I'm coming with you. I can still help with FlameSpark and Xylon." she said, looking up at his concerned face. He sighed and nodded, knowing that there was no way he'd be able to get her to stay within the base boundaries. Nexia smiled up at him, content, for she was finally getting her way for once. She laid her head back upon his chest, deciding that getting a few extra hours of sleep in would help before the battle against Starscream and the rest of the Decepticons.

"Well, well, well. I didn't expect you to show up with your entire army, Autobot scum. Actually, I didn't expect you to show at all, coward." Starscream hissed, chuckling to himself. He stood, staring the Autobot leader in the optic as Bumblebee discreetly slid off to the sidelines. In his hands was the small form of Nexia, who insisted to be close to the battle in case they were in need of her summoning skills. The Autobots reluctantly agreed, but only if she promised to stay out of sight.

"Stay put. Ratchet would have my aft if anything would happen to you now." the yellow scout pleaded, staring intently at her. She laughed softly, holding up a hand, and nodding her head. She had promised her sparkmate that she would stay put. She rarely broke her promises and she knew that she was in no condition to fight in normal battle.

The Autobot medic stood to the side, near where Bumblebee had deposited the winged girl, holding his saw at the ready. He couldn't wait to tear the slimy piece of scrap metal apart for all the suffering he had caused his family. He ground his metallic teeth together, reminding himself to keep his temper in check.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe stood on either side of Optimus, slightly to the back, weapons at the ready. They stole a glance to each other, each wanting their own piece of the jet. Their assassin training had started to kick in - each a silent but deadly warrior. They would never quit on the job and each would bring as much pain to the jet as they could.

Ironhide's cannons could be heard from Optimus' left side, causing the jet to gulp slightly. Starscream knew that he was outmatched but he was prideful; the gray and silver jet didn't want to give up the small item that he held over the Autobots' heads.

This was the beginning of the final battle; a battle which would determine the fate of the last Phoenix of Cybertron. One shall stand; one shall fall.


	27. Farewell

**OK, ok don't kill me when you read the chapter!!!**

**The Epiloge will be all happy ok!?**

**Thanks to:**

**TFSTARFIRE - Lol, yup. He gets killed.**

**Stesuna the Dragon - Aah! I hope you like this one!!!**

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**Chapter 26**

**Farewell**

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All was still, both factions anticipating the coming battle. Red optics met blue in a mental struggle, each thriving on the heat of battle. Suddenly, with a silent signal, Barricade, Rumble, and a new foe, well at least to Nexia, jumped at them from behind the trees. They caught the Autobots by surprise; the four Decepticons may be small in numbers but they make up for it with stealth and brute strength.

"Surprised, Autoscum? I bet you thought that they defected, didn't you?" he cruelly laughed, waving the shimmering necklace in front of the Autobots' faces. Ratchet had to pinch a sensitive wire in his arm in order no to rush forward, lest he acted hastily. Any rash action may cost Nexia her life. The jet laughed at the look on the Autobot medic's face, thinking that the medic was scared for his own life. Oh, how wrong Starscream was.

In a flash Barricade attacked Bumblebee, causing him to buckle his legs in order to stay standing. The Decepticon was far from being light. Nexia stifled a gasp; glad that Hound had coerced her into wearing Earthy colors - browns and greens. Bumblebee was ready for the attack, however, and managed to throw the imitation cop from his shoulders. They rumbled on, Bumblebee being careful not to step on the winged girl hiding within the grass.

"Oh, ho, ho. You think you can best me, Autochum?" Barricade snarled, showing a row of razor sharp teeth. He charged at the yellow scout once again, laughing mercilessly as one of his rotating blades nicked Bumblebee's shoulder. Nexia gasped, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth in horror. She sunk back into the grass, dismissing her wings as she went in order to blend in with the Earth more easily. She didn't want to break her promise to Ratchet but if Bumblebee was hurt once more she would step in.

"C'mon, lugnut. Lets see what you can do!" Bumblebee shouted back, angered. Normally he would have used his radio to communicate but when he was angered he would use his true voice. Nexia snorted into the ground, once again having to cover her mouth in order for her not to be noticed. She wiggled around in the cold dirt, rolling to her left to hide behind a tree. She narrowly missed a being crushed by Barricade's foot, squeaking lightly when the ground vibrated. Her eyes were wide when she realized yet again how close she was to death.

"Insolent fool. The Decepticons will rein supreme!" the black and white copy cop sneered in Bumblebee's direction, slashing at him once again with his rotating saws. He was unaware that Nexia had managed to climb the tree, causing Bumblebee's optics to widen, and had also managed to create a bow and arrow set made of fire. Her powers were growing and surprising her every day. The winged girl nodded at the yellow scout, drawing the chord of the bow back at the same time Bumblebee charged up his energy shot.

"You can't defeat…" Barricade paused, an unfamiliar white hot sensation of pain shooting up his back. Suddenly, Bumblebee let the plasma from the shot he was saving up erupt, driving deep within Barricade's spark chamber.

"Me…?" the black and white Decepticon finished, optics fading as his spark extinguished in on itself. The mech fell forward, causing poor Bumblebee to yelp as the corpse of the Decepticon almost landed on the yellow scout. Bumblebee smirked, flashing a peace sign at the girl in the tree. She laughed, almost slipping from the branch, before laughing in embarrassment. Nexia had little to no balance without her wings.

Ratchet smiled softly at the happiness that emitted from his spark mate. It was high time that she smile like that again - a smile full of happiness instead of one full of despair. He turned and stalked towards the other three battles, making sure that Barricade was truly dead before leaving Nexia in the care of Bumblebee.

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Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had their hands full with a new opponent who had attacked them from underneath the ground. The enemy took the guise of a scorpion, pincers snipping dangerously in the air. His tail was equipped with one large stinger, dripping with Cyber Venom. The lone large stinger split into three smaller ones, each flashing ludicrously in the sunlight.

"Oh, come now. Its wittle Scorpy." Sunstreaker taunted, wagging a finger in the direction of the Decepticon. He snatched it back almost as quickly as he pointed it, fearful squeaks emitting from his vocal processor when Scorponok almost bit it off. Sideswipe's laughter rang through the air as he smirked, the yellow assassin's glare penetrating Sideswipe's field of vision. He couldn't help but chuckle at the expression on his brother's facial plates.

"Hey…bro? Remind me why Prowler isn't here again?" Sideswipe asked, bringing out his energon knife. The red mech jumped on top of the Cybertronian Scorpion's back as his twin distracted him.

"Already loosing your memory chips? Someone needs to keep an eye on the base." the yellow-golden warrior grunted, shooting at the flailing mech's side. He averted Scorponok's attention from his younger brother while Sideswipe hacked and mutilated the scorpion's left claw. He shrieked in agony before digging a hole and diving into the Earth, successfully concealing himself from the twin menaces.

"But I thought that Hound was watching the base!" Sideswipe gasped as the deceitful scorpion exploded from the ground, landing on the stumbling red mech's back. He was aware of his brother shouting his name before Scorponok's tail pierced through his chest plating. Sunstreaker ripped the small annoyance from the red mech's back, effectively mangling the Decepticon's tail as he did so. Thankfully the evil twit of a scorpion didn't have enough time to inject any of his deadly Cyber Venom; it was deadly and could freeze an Autobots' system

"Thanks, bro." the red mech ground out as he covered the wound. Only minutes later Ratchet was by their side, wagging a finger in their faces as he scolded them for running off.

"No prob. Anyway, Hound had to stay behind to look after Wheeljack. Didn't want the base to go boom, huh?" Sunstreaker snickered, causing his brother to snicker as well.

"No moving!" the older mech exclaimed as he smacked the back of the red warrior's helm with his trusty wrench.

"Ouch! You didn't have to hit me!" Sideswipe yelped, instinctively ducking. The older mech glared at the smaller form, throwing up his hands, and shaking a fist at him.

"Oh, yes I did. You would have moved, thus causing even MORE damage to your mainframe!" Ratchet sighed exasperated. Sideswipe blinked at him before protesting even louder.

"Well, yeah, but you didn't have to hit me with a fragging wrench! Those things hurt!" the red warrior whined, earning a chuckle from his brother.

"I give up! You're finished so get out of here." the medic sighed, preparing himself to aid the others if they needed him. He turned his attention to the battle between Optimus, Ironhide, and Starscream; Rumble was left in a smoking heap near the bottom of the tree in which Nexia was hiding.

* * *

Optimus and Ironhide were each worse for wear - each of them sporting different kinds of wounds. The Autobot leader growled, berating himself for not being able to gain Nexia's spark sooner. He glanced towards Ironhide, glad hat he had at least one other mech to help him fight against the crafty Decepticon. He nodded slightly, just enough for Ironhide to catch the hidden meaning.

"Are you going to trade the spark Starscream? The others are dead." Optimus said, glancing around to make sure that his comment was factual. He spotted Ratchet not too far off as he sighed, relieved to see that the medic was actually there. Now he could be confident that he would be fixed if his attempt failed.

"No… I don't think I will. Give me the Allspark shard!" the Decepticon exclaimed, twirling the spark's chain around his finger. He was unaware that Ironhide was sneaking up behind hid until the great black mech had wrapped his arm around the Decepticon's throat. Ironhide smirked as Starscream froze. The jet blanched for a second before he smirked as well, grasping the crystal itself in his hand.

"You want this? Then since you refuse me what I want then you can have it in pieces!" he screeched, raising his fist. It was in slow motion; Optimus and Ratchet lunged towards Starscream while the jet shook out of Ironhide's grasp. He then took the stone and crushed it, shards flying through his fist.

"NO! No…no…_**I'LL KILL YOU**_!!" Ratchet whispered, volume increasing with each word. He shot past the two frozen Autobots, pouncing upon Starscream and tearing at the exposed wiring. Ironhide and Optimus winced at the death of the once fine warrior. Soon, the mangled head rolled by as an exhausted medic flew past them with only one destination in mind.

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The yellow scout crooned sadly as he cradled the still form of the winged girl against his chassis. Her wings reappeared suddenly as she stiffened and fell from the tree. Her eyes closed and her breathing and heart rate became dangerously slow. He crooned again, encouraged the girl to stay awake until Ratchet came

Thundering footsteps were heard, causing Bumblebee to turn his head. Suddenly, Ratchet had slid to a stop on his knees next to the pair. He activated his holoform, taking the still form of the winged girl away from the scout and cradling her against his own chest. Tears fell from his electric blue eyes, one finally hitting the space between her own eyes. Her shimmering orbs fluttered open as she weakly smiled, drawing in another shuddering breath.

"We never had a chance to have children…" he cried softly, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She weakly drew a shaking hand up to his face, cupping his cheek in it. Little did they know that Primus was watching over them, silently mourning the tragedy of the couple.

"Hush, love. If you love me, as I do you, then I already have your spark." she whispered, fluttering her eyes closed again. Her skin was turning paler and the small group of Autobots knew that it would not be long before she passed on. Energon tears ran down the soldiers' faces as they watched the scene between the two ill-fated lovers.

"Oh, Primus, please don't die, Nex. If you die than I'll die as well. You are my **everything**." Ratchet pleaded raising his head and nuzzling the hand that was cradled against his cheek. One of his larger hands covered her smaller one, pressing it against his cheek as he nuzzled it. She laughed softly before she forced her eyes open again.

"Everyone must eventually pass on. Even though it is not what we desire we will always be remembered in the hearts of others. Please…promise me that you'll live on and not forget about me…" she whispered, smiling softly up at the bawling medic. He bit his bottom lip and nodded his head, crying out when she went limp.

She closed her eyes for the final time as Ratchet scanned her body, pressing his face against her chest when he felt no signal - no emotion from their bond. He felt empty inside - like there was a hole where a vibrant feeling of joy once spread. Finally he lifted his head and picked up the body of his once spark mate, carefully setting her in the back of his vehicle mode.

"She's gone." he said to the others before dismissing his holoform and headed off towards the base. It was a quiet ride - nothing like when Nexia's vibrant talk and laughter filled his cab. When he got back to the base he bypassed the four mechs waiting for him, immediately heading for the Medical bay. He planned on dressing her in her favorite outfit and placing her where all the Autobots could mourn her in peace.

The four mechs swarmed Optimus when he returned, eager for some answers. They dreaded the answer, however, when his optics threatened to spill with Energon tears once again. He only shook his head, leaving the four unsuspecting mechs devastated, with tears threatening to spill over their own optics.

* * *

Sideswipe had silent tears running down his facial plates while Sunstreaker stood in his place - stunned. He never thought that something like this could ever occur. He thought that they could gain Nexia's spark back but it went the complete opposite of how it played out in his processor. His mind wandered as they walked through the halls of the Autobot base. Optimus had finally given the order to execute the traitorous femme. Technically it was her fault that Nexia was…gone.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had volunteered to execute the one who had caused all their problems as the others were too emotionally distressed. Plus, Sunstreaker wanted to cause some severe pain to the one who had inadvertently killed his angel.

They banged open the doors to the prison hold, startling the now once again dusty blue-green femme. She smirked up at them, sneering into their faces as Sunstreaker threw open the door to her cell. One stride in and he grasped her by her throat, one large hand wrapping around her dainty wires. She did the human equivalent of a cough; her air intakes were seizing up as Sunstreaker squeezed his hand.

"You fragger. Because of you she's dead." he growled, optics glowing an eerie icy blue color. He began squeezing the femme's neck, ignoring the pleading that was emitting from her vocal processor. Sideswipe was standing towards the back of the cell, providing a sort of backup if she should break from his brother's grasp.

"So? She's an organic…you shouldn't care about someone like her…" Moonracer wheezed, causing Sunstreaker's hand to grip the rest of the way. That effectively crushed her vocal chords…but she was still alive.

"She may be an organic but we still loved her!" the yellow warrior yelled, stabbing through the metal next to her spark chamber. The dusty blue-green femme shouted out in pain as she glared at the mech. The yellow warrior glared at the femme again before he took hold of her arm, twisting it and ripping it from her body.

He finally stabbed her in the dusty blue femme's optics powered down as her spark extinguished, letting the yellow warrior know that she was finally executed. A hand was placed upon Sunstreaker's shoulder as he turned, hugging his twin and crying out. Tears finally fell down his facial plates as the battle hardened mech finally let his emotions escape from his hard protective case.

"She didn't deserve to die!" he wailed, as his brother patted him on the back, tears flowing down his own face.

"I know…I know…" Sideswipe crooned, consoling the yellow twin in his time of need.

* * *

The medic carefully washed the body of his lover, making sure that every feather was in place. The rest of the vibrant color on each feather was replaced by varying shades of white and silver - which puzzled the medic.

He was true to his word and dressed her in a soft, silver Chinese style dress. It was short sleeved and was complete with a black sash that wrapped around her arms. It was sad that it now matched her wings when it used to only look good on her. He activated his holoform and kneeled down next to her still, and now cold, body. Her wings were tucked neatly underneath her body and her hair was brushed and braided, lying gently upon her shoulder.

Ratchet touched his forehead to hers and kissed her once warm lips, a tear trailing down his nose and onto her lips, traveling between them and into her mouth. He went to wipe her lips clean of the salty solution but her body suddenly jerked up, glowing bright silver. The light was too much for his holoform's eyes to take so he was forced to avert them. Finally when the light died down he was able to look back at her body. Or at least where her body once was.

"Nexia!!" the panicked medic exclaimed, rushing towards where her body once lied. There was nothing that indicated that she was even there - the covers from the cot were undisturbed. He sank down to his knees, forced to accept that she was gone from his life forever.

"Primus, please bring her back to me…" he whispered as he sat with his back against the wall, knees brought up to his chest, and buried his face within the darkness.


	28. Epilogue

**Well...here's the Epilogue. Its happy! Now this book is officially complete. I will revise the earlier chapters but I don't think I'll change it. Read my other book _The Man Behind The Legend_ if you like The Forbidden Kingdom.**

**I don't own the song - Hillary Duff does. I don't know but I like it. ^^**

**Thanks to:**

**TFSTARFIRE - hehe what do you think??**

* * *

**Epilogue**

**Six Months Later**

* * *

Time flew by painstakingly slow for the Autobot medic. It has been six excruciating months since the death of Nexia, the last Phoenix of Cybertron. Each Autobot had taken to their own musings to take their mind off of the loss but their sparks were still broken in their own way.

Ratchet's spark ached or his departed mate, eagerly wanting to follow her to the depths of the Matrix. Each time he tried to offline himself, however, her words echoed throughout his processor.

He had often taken to driving to Tranquility Lake, where all of his memories of her were the most prominent. All of his tears had long dried up but the bitter feeling of emptiness still filled his spark. At times, though, he could swear that he could hear her voice singing to him. This time was no different as he sat in front of the lake. He was in his vehicle mode with his holoform activated. His lab coat and glasses were discarded as he stared into space, a longing look in his eyes.

"Lets go back…back to the beginning." Nexia's voice rang through the clearing. Ratchet's mind began to wander, wondering if he was slipping into the verge of insanity.

"Back to when the Earth, the Sun, the Stars all aligned…" her voice continued, casting a soothing spell upon the medic. He looked up at the stars and basked in the glow of the full moon. Surely it was his spark creating the sound of her haunting voice but he went unaware of the winged figure approaching him from behind.

Nexia was indeed alive, brought back from the death by Primus himself. She was lost in a shroud of darkness but she heard a voice…Ratchet's voice…calling out to her. She was torn between a long tunnel of darkness with light at the end and a tunnel of fire behind her. She knew that she had unfinished business on Earth so she chose the tunnel behind her, the one she knew that would lead her back to Ratchet's waiting arms.

"'Cause perfect…didn't feel so perfect…" she continued as she stepped into a beam of moonlight. Streaked and braided hair lay over her shoulder and a silver Chinese style dress donned her figure but the sash lay forgotten in the trees. She was barefoot, quietly stepping over to his hunched frame. She wore a soft smile as she sang, her white and silver wings blowing gently in the late spring breeze.

"Tryin' to fit a square into a circle was no lie.." she continued singing softly, padding up to the shuddering form of the Autobot medic. She embraced him from behind, causing the old mech to freeze. Finally, he played it off as his spark creating hallucinations but he wanted to believe it was her so, so much.

"I defy…" she sighed, kissing the crook of his neck. He jumped up, whirling around as he did. He stumbled back in shock but the winged girl grabbed his hands before he could fall into the water.

"Let the rain fall down and wake my dreams. Let it wash away my sanity. 'cause I wanna feel the thunder, I wanna scream. Let the rain fall down, I'm comin' clean. I'm comin' clean." she sang, pouring her heart and soul into the song. She was about to continue but a strong force had wrapped around her waist. Ratchet didn't care if she was an illusion but he would be damned if he let her disappear.

"Its wonderful to see you, too, Ratchet." she murmured, bending down and kissing him on the lips. He responded back with just as much fervor…wait. His eyes snapped open and he pulled back slightly.

"How is it that I can touch you? You aren't real…" he trailed off, gazing at her smiling face. Suddenly he understood as the bitter and empty hole in his spark was filled with a mixture of joy and love. He picked her up and twirled her around, laughing and beaming.

"How? You're alive!!" he exclaimed, setting her back upon the ground and pulling her into a loving embrace. They stood, her wings wrapped around their bodies as they soaked in each others' emotions.

"I heard you calling me. I was almost gone - into the light. I was going to go to my family…into the matrix…but you were behind me. You were calling my name and crying. Something landed on my face and when I wiped it away it was a tear. I realized you were crying and I knew that I had to go back." she whispered into his neck.

"I'm glad you're back. I would have killed myself long ago if it were not for your words." he said, nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck.

"I could never leave you. As long as I am in your memories then I have something to live for." she whispered in his ear he was ecstatic, now vowing that they would never be separated as long as they both lived on.


End file.
